ATP Tour

Rune reflects on 'scary' injury as he embraces Stockholm return

Holger Rune may experience a strange feeling when he steps onto centre court at the Bybit Stockholm Open this week, returning to the very place where his young career was turned upside down 12 months ago.

The Dane ruptured his Achilles during his semi-final against Ugo Humbert in Stockholm last October, bringing his season to an abrupt end and requiring surgery. What followed was an arduous 11-month rehabilitation process before the 23-year-old returned to competition this September.

“It was scary stuff,” Rune told ATPTour.com, reflecting on his injury in 2025. “We didn't quite know what had happened in the beginning, but getting back and being able to play there already the year after is amazing.

“Usually, we play tennis and come back here the following year as if nothing happened, but a lot happened in between. I'm very happy to play here. It's really close to home, and there are so many Danish fans there as well, so I can't wait."

Returning to the venue where so much changed will undoubtedly bring back memories, but Rune has already begun to reap the rewards of his determination and hard work throughout his rehabilitation. The former No. 4 player in the PIF ATP Rankings scored two wins for Denmark in its Davis Cup tie with Bulgaria, including a three-set over Grigor Dimitrov.

Although there have been first-round defeats in Tokyo, Shanghai and Paris, Rune showed very encouraging signs in Basel last month, reaching his first quarter-final since the injury. The 23-year-old came through two deciding-set tie-breaks against Quentin Halys and Hubert Hurkacz before falling to eventual champion Valentin Vacherot.

"It was so important for me to get those wins in Basel, getting wins against good players at this level on the ATP Tour,” Rune said. “Even though I got the wins at the Davis Cup, this was another confidence booster and gave me the belief that I can still do it.

“We're just going to keep building, and I think getting those matches under my belt before next year is crucial for me."

For a player who has won five ATP Tour titles and reached World No. 4 before the age of 23, spending almost a year away from competition required a significant mental adjustment. Following surgery, Rune gradually progressed from gym-based rehabilitation to hitting balls on court, initially using one leg before eventually returning to full tennis movements.

Throughout the process, patience and careful progression were essential, with no shortcuts available. Having come through the other side of that challenging period and begun to get his young career back on track, what is he most proud of about the way he has handled his comeback?

"It's patience, trusting the process and my resilience,” Rune responded. “Staying in the moment and embracing the more boring work, which is the off-court work. I know that if I can get through this, I can get through most things, because it requires a lot of mental effort as well."

Now, Rune has the opportunity to complete another important chapter in his comeback by returning to the Royal Tennis Hall, where he opens his Stockholm campaign against Zizou Bergs.

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The Dane won their only previous Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting in Marseille in 2022, a memorable year in which he captured a career-best three ATP Tour titles. There will undoubtedly be a different atmosphere for Rune this time around, but he is determined to embrace the opportunity.

"It's going to be a different feeling,” Rune said. “Obviously, it's going to be a bit overwhelming as well, even though I've already gone through my comeback and getting back to the Tour. But I think that's part of it. It's not Stockholm's fault that I got injured. I love the tournament and have great memories of winning there in the past. I just want to come back, give a massive effort and hopefully do well."