World number nine Holger Rune says a brief training stint with tennis legend Andre Agassi has provided him with a fresh and insightful perspective on the game, as he looks to rediscover the form that once marked him as one of tennis’s brightest prospects.
Rune, 22, burst onto the scene in 2022 by winning the Paris Masters, defeating four top-10 players en route, including Novak Djokovic in the final. Since then, however, the Dane has struggled to maintain that momentum, adding just two more titles to his name and failing to progress beyond the quarter-finals at any Grand Slam.
With peers Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner now claiming the sport’s biggest prizes, Rune turned to eight-time Grand Slam champion Agassi for guidance, spending three days with the American in Washington earlier this month.
“It was insane. I’ve never met a guy who sees tennis that way and I found it interesting,” Rune told the Tennis Channel during the Canadian Open in Toronto. “He makes things simple on the court. Sometimes tennis can be a difficult sport and sometimes it can be a very easy sport. There’s always a reason why it’s this or that.”
Rune described the experience as “amazing,” saying Agassi’s advice had been both practical and impactful. His long-time coach, Lars Christensen, was also part of the sessions and remains in contact with Agassi.
Though Rune didn’t grow up watching Agassi play, he said he has studied the American’s techniques closely through video clips. “I’ve watched so many YouTube clips with him on how he was taking the ball early,” Rune said. “It was so clear to see how he was making life easy for himself on the court.”
Rune has since beaten Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in Toronto and will face Alexandre Muller next as he continues preparations for the US Open, which takes place from 24 August to 7 September.