Holger Rune Trains With Tennis Icon Andre Agassi Ahead Of US Open: WATCH

Last Updated:July 31, 2025, 17:02 IST

Holger Rune's training with Andre Agassi provided valuable insights into the mindset of the eight-time Grand Slam champion, which he hopes will elevate his game.

Holger Rune with Andre Agassi in training (X)

World No. 9 Holger Rune says his brief training stint with Andre Agassi provided rare insight into the mindset of the eight-time Grand Slam champion:  one that the Danish star hopes will help elevate his own game.

Rune, who burst onto the scene in 2022 with a stunning Masters title in Paris—where he defeated four top-10 players, including Novak Djokovic in the final—has struggled to maintain that momentum. Since that breakthrough, the 22-year-old has added only two more titles and has yet to progress beyond the quarterfinal stage at a Grand Slam.

With peers like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner now dominating the top tier of men’s tennis, Rune sought fresh inspiration, linking up with American legend Agassi earlier this month for a three-day training session in Washington.

“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.

Rune praised Agassi for simplifying the game in a way that immediately resonated with him.

“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," he explained.

“Some of the advice he gave me was very helpful. To share those three days, for him to get a look at my game, it was just amazing. My coach Lars Christensen appreciated it too—they talked a little bit, and we’re still in touch."

Learning from a Legend—Even Without Growing Up Watching Him

Although Rune was too young to witness Agassi’s dominance in real time, he said studying the American’s old matches online helped him appreciate his unique playing style.

“I’ve watched so many YouTube clips of him and 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. It was a bit before my time, so I didn’t grow up watching Andre. But to look back at how tennis was then was really interesting to see."

Rune recently defeated Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in Toronto and is set to face Alexandre Muller next as he fine-tunes his game ahead of the U.S. Open, scheduled for August 24 to September 7.

(with Reuters inputs)

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...Read More

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...

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