Rune turns to Becker to boost his level in 2024
- The young Dane is looking forward to Boris Becker as his coach for 2024
Mexico City, january 17, 2024.- If a tennis legend like Boris Becker is interested in working with you in your 20s, you’re doing something right in your professional career. Holger Rune is one of the youngsters who overcame the status of tennis promise when he beat Novak Djokovic (Paris 2022) at the age of 19 in a Masters 1000 final and went from being outside the Top 100 to making his debut in the ATP Top 10 in less than a year. Three titles and two finals were key.
He closed 2023 with a level recovery after sneaking into the Nitto ATP Finals, but with only one title in the season there were signs that Rune was missing something in his development and teamwork. The answer could be six-time Grand Slam winner Boris Becker of Germany, who has known success since he was a teenager after he became the youngest Wimbledon winner at the age of 17 in 1985.
The two began a trial period in October, but now are enjoying officially their coach-player alliance for the 2024 season. Previously Rune was the pupil of Patrick Mouratoglou since 2016, former coach of Serena Williams, but they ended their relationship in September. Intense on court and with infinite potential, his entourage agrees, the Dane’s personality and mentality can take him far, not for nothing Becker has stated that they will look for his best version. The 55-year-old German coached Djokovic between 2013 and 2016, when he conquered six of his 24 Grand Slams.
On his own style, Rune stated “If everyone was the same, it would be a bit boring.” His rapid rise was perhaps somewhat overshadowed by the precocious success of Carlos Alcaraz, with whom he has an age difference of just six days, but Rune is motivated by such a rivalry in the making “I hope to be like Roger and Rafa. That’s what we’re looking for, to be the best players of all time and the best players we can be.”