![\"Holger](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/rune-february-2026-recovery-it-all-adds-up.jpg\")
<\/p>\n Holger Rune
\n Inside Holger Rune’s recovery from Achilles surgery<\/p>\n
Dane speaks exclusively to ATPTour.com<\/p>\n
February 03, 2026<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
ATP Tour\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
Holger Rune opens up on his recovery after suffering an Achilles injury in Stockholm in October.
\n By Sam Jacot<\/p>\n
As the biggest stars spent January competing for the crown at the Australian Open<\/a>, there was one notable name missing from the schedule: Holger Rune<\/a>.<\/p>\n The 22-year-old has been sidelined since last October, when he suffered an Achilles injury in Stockholm, bringing his season to an abrupt halt and sending him down an unexpected, but ultimately reflective, road to recovery.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was very unexpected,\u201d Rune recalled to ATPTour.com. \u201cI didn\u2019t know quite what happened when it happened, but after that the first focus was what to do now and how to move forward.\u201d<\/p>\n An MRI soon confirmed the diagnosis and surgery followed shortly after: \u201cLuckily everything went really well,\u201d Rune said. \u201cMy surgeon did an amazing job, the physios are great and my team is really good.\u201d<\/p>\n While Rune has not competed on the ATP Tour since October, time away from match play has hardly meant time off. After two weeks of instructed rest, the Dane quickly returned to a structured routine, beginning in the gym before gradually making his way back onto the court in December.<\/p>\n \u201cMy time has actually been really busy, which is nice,\u201d Rune explained. \u201cI\u2019ve had a very tight schedule because there are so many things to do in the rehab. It keeps me occupied during the time off.<\/p>\n \u201cRight after the injury, I really needed rest anyway. I was at the end of the season and ready for a vacation, just not in this way. The first two weeks in the cast went really quickly. I was relaxing, going to the gym a little bit, and it was nice to have time off. After that it became more intense. I never thought it would be forever. I\u2019m really young and healing really fast so far, which is good.\u201d<\/p>\n One of the most encouraging milestones has been Rune\u2019s recent return to hitting on court. After initially striking balls while restricted to one leg, the former No. 4 player in the PIF ATP Rankings is now able to train with both feet firmly planted.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s amazing, especially now that I\u2019m hitting on two legs,\u201d Rune said. \u201cIt\u2019s starting to feel really nice. Before it was nice too, but it\u2019s not quite the same when you know what you\u2019re capable of. Now it\u2019s more fun because I can actually put some energy behind the ball.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s still a lot of rehab to do, but just being back on the tennis court is really nice. I think it\u2019s going to be helpful when I come back that I\u2019ve kept the swing and everything going, because we don\u2019t want other injuries from too much time off. So far I think we\u2019ve used our time the right way.\u201d<\/p>\n You May Also Like: Rune confirms Achilles injury, upcoming surgery: ‘See you as soon as possible’<\/a><\/p>\n Away from the physio table and the practice court, Rune has discovered a rare pause in an otherwise relentless career, a chance to slow the tempo and reconnect with life beyond the Tour. Back home in Denmark, extended time with family and close friends has offered both comfort and perspective, while films, football and other sports have helped fill the quieter hours. Even then, competition is never far away, surfacing in card games, gym challenges and anything that allows him to keep that edge sharp.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s nice to be more with family and close friends,\u201d Rune said. \u201cWe don\u2019t really get that chance normally. I have watched a lot of films, especially at the beginning after the surgery. I was on the sofa with the leg up watching Netflix and some James Bond as well. Now I\u2019ve been to a football game, watched other sports and tried to occupy my brain with things other than tennis. I watched Formula 1 when I was in Qatar, too.<\/p>\n \u201cI have always been competing since I was young. Always eager to win and fight. I had that dragon inside me on court. I still have it. This injury is a moment to show myself how much strength I have and how much I\u2019m willing to put into it. I miss the adrenaline and competitiveness, even at home doing gym exercises or small games just to feel it again. I am getting my competitiveness out that way.\u201d<\/p>\n That same drive has carried into the planning behind his recovery. Rune and his team have leaned on research and conversations with other athletes who have navigated similar setbacks, seeking reassurance and clarity in an unfamiliar situation.<\/p>\n \u201cWe searched a lot. With Achilles injuries, most studies are on older people, and many don\u2019t have surgery and recovery can be a year,\u201d Rune said. \u201cBut for athletes it\u2019s different and quicker as we have the surgery. Surgery was the most natural thing for me to speed up the process in a healthy way.<\/p>\n \u201cOne football player reached out to me. He had the same injury and was back after four and a half months. There are strict guidelines and you can\u2019t skip steps. I\u2019m strong and young, so I believe I\u2019ll recover quickly, but it takes hard work and smart work.\u201d<\/p>\n Throughout his time away, support from fans and fellow players has been a powerful reminder of the community that exists beyond competition, something Rune admits he misses as much as the matches themselves.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s one of the parts I miss most, performing on court and feeling the support. I\u2019ve also had nice messages from a lot of players. Even though we\u2019re competitors, we\u2019re colleagues and want the best for each other,\u201d Rune said.<\/p>\n Since breaking onto the Tour in 2021, Rune has steadily established himself among the game\u2019s elite. He announced himself on the biggest stages early, taking a set from Novak Djokovic<\/a> at the 2021 US Open<\/a> as a qualifier, before lifting tour-level trophies in Munich and Stockholm in 2022.<\/p>\n Later that season, Rune stunned the tennis world at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Paris, defeating Djokovic to claim the biggest title of his career. The victory propelled him into the Top 10 of the PIF ATP Rankings for the first time and made him the youngest Paris champion since Boris Becker<\/a> in 1986.<\/p>\n![\"\u201cATP\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/atp-no-1-club-banner-article.jpg\")
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