Holger Rune is part of a group of young players trying to take their game to the next level.
Following Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic’s era of dominance, the next generation are stepping up to carry the men’s game forward.
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz lead that group with nine Grand Slam titles between them and they are the ATP’s world number one and two.
But Rune is working hard to try and challenge the duo and put his name alongside them at the top of the game, but it is not easy.
Photo by MANAURE QUINTERO/AFP via Getty ImagesHolger Rune says it he finds it tougher playing Carlos Alcaraz than Jannik Sinner
Holger Rune burst on the scene in 2022 and quickly showed what he is capable of.
At that year’s Paris Masters, he won his first Masters 1000 title at the age of 19 by beating Djokovic in the final.
Rune also won the Stockholm and Munich titles that season and backed it up by defending the title in Germany the following year.
But since the start of last season, the Dane’s progress has stalled while Alcaraz and Sinner have excelled at all levels of the game.
Rune has faced both on multiple occasions, each of whom present him with different challenges. But the 22-year-old told The Guardian that he finds Alcaraz slightly tougher to play than Sinner, and explained why.
“I always found it more comfortable playing Jannik because he’s giving more rhythm, playing more the same shots. With Carlos there’s so much variety.
“You give him one opportunity and he’s going to either drop shot you or punch you down the line or something different. It’s unpredictable, which makes it more difficult.
“But Jannik’s lower level is higher because Carlos sometimes can mis-hit some balls. But then I think Carlos’s top game is a little bit higher than Jannik’s so they’re really equal.”
Photo by Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty ImagesWhen could Holger Rune play Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open?
Rune is preparing to compete at the US Open, where he is seeded number 11.
He will commence his campaign with a tough battle against Botic van de Zandschulp, who reached the Winston Salem Open on Saturday.
The Dutchman also knocked Alcaraz out of the US Open in the second round a year ago, so he is no stranger to beating top players in New York.
If Rune wants to play Alcaraz, he would have to reach the semifinals at Flushing Meadows for the first time in his career.
Furthermore, Rune can only play Sinner, the defending US Open champion, in the final, a stage of a Grand Slam he has yet to reach.