Holger Rune and coach Patrick Mouratoglou have re-united again for the third time.
Mouratoglou: “I am excited to start a new collaboration with Holger Rune. We have known each other since he was thirteen years old and I always believed in his potential. He has high goals and so do I for him. It is the start of a new adventure. See you guys in Acapulco, Indian Wells and Miami.”
The last time I saw Rune together with Mouratoglou was at US Open 2023, before the tournament Rune was playing a practice set with Felix. It was interesting to see because Rune’s other two coaches stood on the side and Mouratoglou hovered over to Rune after every point to say some comments or advices. But it looked like Mouratoglou was performing an act as a coach for the audience in Armstrong Stadium, trying hard to look like an important coach. “Image is everything.”
Rune didn’t do so well at US Open last year – first round loss to Roberto Carballes Baena (ATP 63) – and soon parted ways with Mouratoglou for the second time. Now after Mouratoglou missed the 2024 Australian Open (no player requested his coaching services), he’s suddenly back with Rune.
There’s whispers in the tennis world Mouratoglou reached his level of coaching fame not because he is an extraordinary coach of infiniate tennis wisdom, but because he allegedly incentivizes players to bring him aboard to their teams. It all began with Serena – after some unsuccessful ventures with lower ranked journeyman/woman players.
Some former ATP pros who are in the know, made some pointed comments about Rune supposedly hiring Mouratoglou again.
Pavel Slozil: “You can’t be serious!”
Karel Novacek, when asked if it could be a “coach pays player deal? “It’s actually possible [big laugh]. Guess it’s the third contract with Rune.”
Rune’s ATP profile names Mouratoglou and former ATP top 40 player Kenneth Carlsen as his two coaches, but Carlsen doesn’t get any media promo about it.
This year Rune is 8-4 with a final in Brisbane (loss to Dimitrov) and 2R loss at AO to Arthur Cazaux in four sets. The 20 year old from Denmark, winner of four ATP singles titles, is currently ranked no. 7. His career best ranking was no. 4 in August 2023.
Babolat · Holger Rune · Indian Wells · Patrick Mouratoglou
1 comment
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Sam · March 3, 2024 at 6:59 am
“Reunited and it feels so good!!!” 😉