Holger Rune, who is currently ranked as number. 15 in the world, is expected to be out of action for up to a year. Still, after tearing his Achilles tendon in the semi-final of the Stockholm Open in the fall, he is now using his recovery period to reflect on how he has approached his career in the past and what changes he needs to make in the future.
"We can't change what has happened, and this injury is perhaps the slap in the face I needed – to take my talent seriously and show myself what I am really capable of", says Rune to hard-court.com.
"I have never doubted my love for tennis, but I took my talent for granted. I was sometimes too relaxed about things, and now I feel the longing and also look back and can see all the things I could – and probably should – have done differently. Not just the training, because that is where my passion lies, but everything around it – what you eat and so on. To become top-5 in the world, or even higher, and to win Grand Slams, everything has to be done really consistently", says Rune.
In the interview, Holger Rune also says that he sees his injury as "really scary" for the entire sports industry, because all tests indicate that the injury was sustained on the back of exhaustion as a result of the tough program.
"This shouldn't have happened - it shouldn't be possible. I'm 22 years old, I'm healthy and strong, and yet it happened", Rune explains, among other things.
A couple of weeks ago, Holger Rune's mother, Anneke Rune, explained to the press agency Ritzau how the Rune camp has approached the recovery period.
"It's impossible to set a date. But it was far from nerves. Holger's Achilles tendon is long, and the rupture occurred some distance from the calf muscle, so you didn't have to sew the muscle."
"It's a body with an unusually good starting point for rehabilitation. Which is pretty crazy when you see the massive stress he's been under", she explained.