Total package: Rune has an athletic all-around game, with the ability to defend, counterpunch and attack at a high level. He also has a strong serve and an aggressive return, making him a formidable opponent to play against. | Photo credit: Getty Images
Sneaky weapon: While Rune is happy to scrap for his points on clay, he has exquisite touch and can end rallies with savvy drop shots. | Photo credit: Getty Images
With the injury-enforced absence of Rafael Nadal, the long-reigning King of Clay, the men’s section of Roland-Garros wears an open look.
The popular storylines involving the contenders include Novak Djokovic’s quest for a record 23rd Major title, Carlos Alcaraz’s bid to win a Grand Slam on the red dirt and prove that his breakthrough US Open triumph last year was the ushering in of a new dawn, and Daniil Medvedev’s recent “friendship” with clay, a surface that had tormented him until this season.
Bubbling just underneath these talking points is Holger Rune, the first Dane to enter the ATP top 10. A peer of Alcaraz — the 20-year-olds were born a week apart in April-May — Rune is a former French Open boys’ singles champion. Three years after his triumph in the juniors, he made the quarterfinals at Roland-Garros on his senior debut in 2022.
The Djokovic seal of approval
These aren’t the only indicators of his pedigree, especially on clay. He has the Djokovic seal of approval: the 36-year-old sees a lot of himself in the young man and there are few higher compliments in tennis. Rune defeated the great Serb in the final of the Paris Masters last year and beat him again at the Italian Open last week.
Only five players have winning head-to-head records against Djokovic over the course of at least three matches, which makes Rune’s 2-1 lead all the more special.
After his second straight loss to the Dane, Djokovic was moved to say that the long-awaited “shift of generations” had finally come to men’s tennis, which has been dominated since the mid-2000s by the Big Three of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. He also talked up Rune’s chances at the French Open, putting him in the same bracket as the Spanish World No. 1: “Alcaraz, Rune… these guys are right there in contention, some of the biggest favourites.”
Asked what makes Rune such a dangerous opponent, Djokovic said, “He kind of reminds me of me, the way he plays. Really fit physically, great defence, but also great counter-puncher. He can hurt you from both the…
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