Holger Rune continues to make moves as he looks to bounce back from a disappointing result last time out.
At Wimbledon, Rune lost to Chilean star Nicolas Jarry in the first round, 6-4, 6-4, 5-7, 3-6, 4-6.
Travelling to Washington for his first tournament post-Wimbledon, Rune enlisted the help of Andre Agassi, who has been working with the Dane this week.
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After training with the eight-time Grand Slam winner in Washington, Rune revealed that Agassi gave him tips on how to improve his return.
The 22-year-old wasn’t satisfied with making just one addition to his team, however, as Rune has now hired another big-name coach.
Holger Rune hires Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic’s former coach Marco Panichi
Speaking to Danish media outlet B.T., Holger Rune’s mother, Aneke Rune, announced the newest addition to the team.
“We welcome Marco Panichi to the team,” she said.
“He brings with him enormous experience, not only physically, but also in everything that goes into developing a champion and a Grand Slam winner.
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“This takes our project to the next level. We know Marco very well and have always had an excellent relationship with him. And he has always liked Holger. He is a special person who will be part of the team.
“The way he works and the way he collaborated with Novak Djokovic reflect very much how we see a fitness coach in a team, and he will also be active in training.”
Panichi, an Italian fitness coach with a wealth of experience, has coached several Grand Slam winners during his career.
After working with Djokovic for seven years, Panichi moved on to take a role in Jannik Sinner’s team.
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The partnership seemed to be working well until Sinner split with Panichi on the eve of Wimbledon, a tournament he won, despite picking up an injury during the fourth round.
Sinner insisted there was no bad blood between the pair, although one ATP Tour legend suggested there was more to the story.
What really happened between Jannik Sinner and Marco Panichi?
During a recent episode of ‘Becker Petkovic’, Boris Becker gave his verdict on Sinner’s split with Panichi.
“It was about trust. I know that the Italian physio [Marco Panichi], like most Italians, likes to chat and tell a few stories. I don’t know if that was what [Jannik] Sinner had in mind,” said Becker.
“I don’t have exact information, but I could imagine that was the reason
“Something must have happened between Halle and Wimbledon that made Sinner lose his temper and say, ‘I can’t go to Wimbledon with this team.’”
Becker’s co-host, Andrea Petkovic, was in agreement, claiming she’d heard similar things about Panichi.
“I heard exactly the same thing here at Wimbledon. I was at the facility yesterday. I talked to a few Italian colleagues; they hinted at something similar to what you indicated, Boris [Becker], that the fitness trainer, I think he likes to give interviews and talk,” she said.
“Jannik is a very, very reserved guy and doesn’t like it at all when people talk about his stuff in public.”
Only time will tell if the same ‘rumored’ issues resurface for Panichi alongside Rune, but it’s important to note that the Dane is a very different person from Sinner.
Rune is far more outspoken and is never afraid to make headlines with his comments, just like Panichi.
Following his first-round exit at SW19, Rune said he would’ve beaten Jarry ‘nine times out of ten’, comments that were widely criticized.
Both Panichi and Rune will want to make plenty of headlines together, but for the right reasons, as they look to accomplish the 22-year-old’s goal of becoming a Grand Slam champion.
Before the pair head to New York for the US Open, there is work to be done in Washington, as Rune prepares to take on Alexandre Muller in the first round on Tuesday, July 22.