Rune blog: striving to win Grand Slams is the natural step for me, Circuit Articles | ITF
Article 16 Jan 2023

Rune blog: striving to win Grand Slams is the natural step for me

Holger Rune

16 Jan 2023

Welcome to Holger Rune's blog. The 19-year-old is a former junior world No. 1, who was crowned Roland Garros boys' champion in 2019. In 2020 and 2021, he received ITF International Junior Player Grants, reflecting the level of his potential. In June, he reached the quarter-finals at Roland Garros and is now ranked within the Top 10. Holger writes regular pieces for the ITF, providing insight into his journey.

I cannot wait for the challenges which come my way this season and I am looking forward to starting the year strongly at the Australian Open here in Melbourne.

I entered 2023 on the back of a fantastic end to last season and another satisfying year on the journey towards me realising my ultimate goals.

There are constant milestones in my development and winning the Paris Rolex Masters in November was certainly one of them. After all, my goal for 2022 was to win ATP 250 and 500 titles and dig deep at Masters events and Grand Slams.

Triumphing in Paris felt like a natural consequence of my development during the latter stages of the season, and it has raised barriers in terms of what I believe I can achieve this year.  

Looking back, I have lots of great memories of milestones. In 2021, winning my first ATP Challenger event was very big, while 12 months earlier I won my first ITF title – at M25 Klosters – and that was huge.

Before then, topping the podium at the Roland Garros Junior Championships and then winning the ITF World Tennis Tour Junior Finals in Chengdu, both in 2019, were unbelievable moments.  

It’s important that goals are not mistaken for pressure, stress or something that shouldn’t be talked about. Ambitions give us the drive to reach wherever we want and that is why ambitions and goals are good, and people should never be ashamed of dreaming big.

However, there always needs to be work behind the words – after all, it takes a lot to do a lot – and you either enjoy the process of getting there and think it’s fun or you don’t. Personally, I love it.

I am interested in little details and the better I get, the more the fine margins make a difference. I don’t think this will ever stop. It is not like a computer game where you reach a maximum level and then the game is over. The strive for perfection is for eternity.

Perfection, however, rarely exists and that is why if you don’t love the process, which is constant, it’s going to be tough. You will be waiting for a climax that might only be reached in two or three matches a year.

During the final quarter of last season, I had two almost perfect matches – against Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final of the Stockholm Open and versus Felix Auger-Aliassime in the semi-finals in Paris. I won 25 matches during this quarter, yet only two were close to perfect.

Despite this, it’s the final in Paris where I defeated 21-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic that leaves me with the most emotions because I have huge respect for him, both as a person and player. This was the perfect emotional final for me.

The mechanism for measuring success inside yourself has many sides. It is not always the result, the perfect stroke or the win, but the love and dedication you put in every day. That is where my happiness is found, and the victories are a very pleasant consequence.

We are all different as individuals and everyone’s goals and drive towards their ultimate goal is different. For some it’s money, for others it’s recognition, love, freedom, peace, fame or something completely different.

Whatever it is, no drive is better than the other and there is no right or wrong. It’s personal fire and when that fire is on, life is so much fun.

This brings me to my ambitions for the season. Instead of asking what 2023 will bring, I rephrase and consider what I will bring to 2023. The answer is lots of hard work, a lot of emotions and a lot of joy and excitement.

In terms of my tennis, I have super high goals as always. Last year, I won two ATP 250 titles, triumphed at the Paris Rolex Masters and played all four Grand Slams, reaching the quarter-finals at Roland Garros.

I also went from No. 103 in the world rankings to No. 11, while I am now in the Top 10. I love impressing myself and I will continue to do so in 2023. The natural step forward for me this year is striving to win Grand Slams.

I have four opportunities to do so, starting at the Australian Open. I love the vibe and the big courts here – I always have done – and I am very excited to get started against Serbia’s Filip Krajinovic on Tuesday.

After Australia, I will be returning to Denmark for Davis Cup and my nation’s showdown with India in the World Group I Play-offs. It has been a while since I played Davis Cup, and I am very much looking forward to playing in front of a Danish crowd again.

In the meantime, I will be doing my very best to dig deep here in Melbourne.

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