The Dane, currently ranked ninth in the world, has struggled for form in 2025, recently losing in the first round of Wimbledon and withdrawing from the Washington Open<\/a>.<\/p>\n However, he has always performed well on hard courts. With the American hard-court swing well underway, this period could present the perfect opportunity for Rune to turn his season around.<\/p>\n Following his victory over the Frenchman, Jon Wertheim and the Tennis Channel crew discussed the Dane\u2019s impressive performance.<\/p>\n Speaking on the Tennis Channel Live Podcast, host Jon Wertheim assessed Rune\u2019s performance, describing it as possibly \u2018the best match of his career.\u2019<\/p>\n Wertheim, who also co-hosts \u2018Served with Andy Roddick\u2019, said: \u201cSteve [co-host], what did Andre Agassi tell Holger Rune? This may be the best match of his career.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re going stat of the day a little bit early. How about this? Holger Rune, 12 aces, Perricard, only seven.<\/p>\n \u201cHolger Rune, 86 per cent of his second serve points won. Again small sample size of an opponent who doesn\u2019t return well. But boy, Holger Rune was just spectacular yesterday, beating a potentially tough opponent. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cAndre Agassi you\u2019re 1-0 as mystic, as Merlin, as Holger Rune was just extraordinary, winning in straight sets.<\/p>\n Wertheim was later asked about what Holger Rune had proven to him after defeating Mpetshi-Perricard. Wertheim noted Rune\u2019s use of visualisation exercises before matches and a new sense of professionalism being adopted by the 22-year-old.<\/p>\n Wertheim added: \u201cI mean again, let\u2019s not read too much into one match against an extraordinary, sort of a unicorn player. But that serving was just tremendous, and yeah, waking up to do visualisation exercises, that\u2019s not necessarily the sort of \u2018professionalisation\u2019 we normally associate with Holger Rune.<\/p>\n \u201cIs he still a top five player two years ago? So he\u2019s only 22 years old. A lot of upside here and we\u2019ll see. I mean it\u2019s one match, let\u2019s not read too much into it. But boy, this does seem to be a bit of a turn of a corner here for Holger Rune.\u201d<\/p>\n Rune faces Alexandre Muller next<\/p>\n Next up for Holger Rune at the Canadian Open is Alexandre Muller<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Frenchman will provide a stern test for Rune. After all, he pushed Novak Djokovic<\/a> to four sets in the Wimbledon first round.<\/p>\n Rune\u2019s tough draw shows no signs of letting up when checking his potential fourth round opponents. He could face either former world number one Daniil Medvedev or defending Canadian Open<\/a> champion Alexei Popyrin.<\/p>\n![\"Holger](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-2227588963-1024x683.jpg\")
Photo by Matthew Stockman\/Getty ImagesHolger Rune\u2019s visualisation exercises<\/p>\n![\"Novak](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-2222501605-1024x683.jpg\")
Photo by Marleen Fouchier\/BSR Agency\/Getty Images<\/p>\n