Sinner and Alcaraz are too far for the Dane

Holger Rune’s crisis seems to have no end. The start of the year has been shocking for the young Dane. Not only the premature elimination at the Australian Open 2024 but also the bad defeat suffered in the semi-final of the Open Sud de France, also topped by the retirement in the second set, against Borna Coric.

The Dream Team built by the Dane to make the definitive leap in quality no longer exists. A few days after the separation with Severin Luthithe Dane will also lose Boris Becker.

The German has in fact decided to immediately interrupt the sporting collaboration with Rune, explaining the reasons that led him to make this difficult choice on his Twitter account. Novak Djokvoic’s former coach, also busy as a commentator on Eurosport, understood that he didn’t have the necessary time to dedicate to a talent like Rune.

“I would like to inform you that I will be stepping down as Holger Rune’s head coach with immediate effect. We began this partnership with the initial goal of reaching the ATP Finals in the latter part of last year, but as we moved forward I realized that in order for Holger to have happened.

I should have been available to him much more than I could. Due to my professional and private responsibilities I cannot give Holger what he needs now. I wish him only the best and will always be his number 1 fan. I have really enjoyed this journey together,” he explained.

Holger Rune in crisis

Having made this decision, evidently (commitments aside), Becker understood that he could not actually improve the boy. With Djokovic, Becker found 185 cm of priceless clay, already shaped, and only to be improved. And under Boris’ leadership, Nole achieved epic results. Evidently, the German has not found a raw material to fully exploit, as he did with Djokovic.

Rune’s problem is simple: he hasn’t made the leap in quality. Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz did it, and their results were extraordinary. The Italian and the Spaniard have found effective solutions in their team. Darren Cahill and Juan Carlos Ferrero brought the improvements and knowledge necessary to help their champions take the decisive step. Rune failed, with Luthi and Becker.

Now it is to be understood whether the problem is Rune himself. If two coaches like Luthi and Becker – who made the fortunes of Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic – have taken a step aside, then there is some problem.

At this point, young Holger, if he wants to stay at the same pace as his two rivals Jannik and Carlitos, will have to run and find the team capable of understanding him and, consequently, improving his tennis. Time is on his side, but his young rivals are already running away.