Holger Rune has shown his worth in Cincinnati Open. Despite issues in appointing a suitable coach, this ATP star has found his solutions in a former Danish tennis player. While Rune’s fallout with Boris Becker concerned his followers, he has regained their trust with his recent performance in the ATP 1000. Showing a promising run for the future, Rune presents the brilliance of his new coach. Are they prepping hard for the upcoming US Open?

Rune defeated Gael Monfils 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals against Jack Draper. Rune’s impressive performance in Cincinnati has shed light on his new coach, Kenneth Carlsen. A former Danish tennis player, Karlsen was known for his serve and brilliant performances on the grass and hard surfaces. Awarded the “Tennis Player of the Year” of Denmark seven times (two went to his team at the Davis Cup, where he was an integral member), this former ATP star showed his brilliance in his debut in the 1993 Australian Open as he reached the Grand Slam’s fourth round.

The same year, Carlsen reached his career-high ranking of 41, and since, he had been in the world’s top 100 till the end of his playing career in 2007. Carlsen’s best performance so far is his victory over Stefan Edberg in the 1994 Wimbledon, where he won against the Swede in five sets. He also bagged three ATP titles from seven finals before retiring in 2007.

Rune started working with Carlsen after parting ways with Boris Becker in February. He reappointed Patrick Mouratoglou as his full-time coach with Carlsen. Unlike Rune’s former coaches, Severin Luthi and Becker, this Danish coach will travel with Rune. “Kenneth and I have known each other very well for a long time. It’s great to have him by my side. I can confirm Kenneth will be a permanent part of my team. He will work with me on a full-time base, regardless of my next moves and possible additions to my coaching staff. Kenneth is a great coach, and I feel very comfortable on the court with him.” 

Speaking about his aspirations with his new coach, Rune dropped a promising statement. Mentioning how people “are looking for too much,” Rune said, “Sometimes you just need someone who knows you. Kenneth, he knows me very well. He is very good to adjust.” And a big boon, “He knew me since I was very young.”

Rune was all praise about Carlsen in his recent statement after the Round of 16 win. “Together with Lars, he was helping me when I was 12 or 13 in the national club in Denmark. He was a former player, top 50 in the world, he has experience and knows how it feels to be in there when it’s a tough situation, and momentum is with you or not with you. For me, it’s great. He’s a great guy, very disciplined. He’s a super coach,” Rune concluded.

Carlsen’s presence has helped Rune make much better progress in Cincinnati. His statements after entering the quarterfinals show that the Danish ATP star is confident about his upcoming US Open run.

Holger Rune says he has been “able to find solutions to play better“

Rune faced a setback when an ankle injury stopped him from participating in the Paris Olympics. Upon recovering, he attended the 2024 Canadian Open and reached the Round of 16, where Alexander Zverev defeated him. Rune finds some redemption in Cincinnati as he drops an impressive performance to reach the quarterfinals with the help of his new coach.

After he was disappointed about the Paris Olympics, his recent victory has brought him a lot of confidence. “I said at the beginning of the tournament that I would need to raise my level in order to go deep, and I think today I did it,“ Rune said after defeating Monfils. This Danish player added, “You can fool yourself a little bit and say you feel confident for the US Open without these wins, but the confidence these matches are giving me, that I’ve been able to find solutions to play better: this is the most important thing. It’s definitely a big confidence boost to be in the quarters now.” 

Carlsen’s guidance has brought confidence back in Rune. His recent performances offer a great possibility for the upcoming US Open, all thanks to a new mind. Following Rune’s recent words about his form, will it be an unrealistic expectation to see him winning the Cincinnati Open? What do you think about it?