As Indian Wells saw Stan Wawrinka defeat Holger Rune on Monday, nobody quite expected the drama to stretch this long. As is the mark of a true athlete, Rune is now focused on getting himself back on track with intense determination. However, as Twitter responds to most situations with brutal trolls, Rune has not managed to escape that circle. Recently, some tennis enthusiasts on Twitter have made it a point to roast Rune publicly with their brutal comments.

Rune himself is affected by these comments, as is evident from his quick replies to the trolls. While the 22-year-old Danish ATP icon is trying to focus on bettering his game, he decides to share some updates with his fans. However, things didn’t quite go as planned and now he is facing some smug comments that take a dig at him over his recent loss to Wawrinka.

Holger Rune faces brutal trolls as he shares his recent mindset with fans

Rune went on Twitter to justify how he lost the Indian Wells match to Wawrinka, his rival. He said he could not feel his strokes and was not present in the match- physically or mentally. While most of his fans responded kindly to his tweet and encouraged him in his stance to do “strike back”, one follower, in particular, attracted his fury. This account, going by the username, @movarturoelba posted a GIF in response to Rune’s tweet.

Read more: Before Losing Out to Veteran Stan Wawrinka in a Fiery Indian Wells Contest, 19-Year-Old Holger Rune Endorses an Overconfident Fan Tweet

The GIF is of Jeremy Clarkson putting an “L” on his forehead with his index and thumb. The “L” stands for loser and Rune lost his temper at this reaction. He questioned, “Did you send that to Stan also when he lost in 3 sets in Paris? Or are you just being an idiot against me ?”

While Rune’s fans have asked him to stay calm and keep the trolls out of his hair, it seems like the brutal comments have indeed upset him.

Rune is battling trolls on Instagram too

Rune also posted an Instagram story directed at these trolls who are cracking offensive jokes at his expense. He writes, “BEFORE YOU WRITE HATE OR SHITTY COMMENTS ON MY OR ANY ACCOUNT YOUR SHOULD BE AWARE OF HOW THE MAJORITY READ YOUR COMMENT AND SEE YOU AS UNINTELLIGENT… 
Harsh judgments are handed out so people feel better about themselves, but everyone (if of average or above average intelligence) can see that they are hurting and have been brought down by something that has them feeling defensive (jealousy) – so they become critical of others hoping to restore their self-esteem. Needless to say with no luck.”

These instances where trolling sportspersons becomes a trend online is really a far cry from a healthy, encouraging environment. With legendary athletes and young icons facing these brutal trolls online, it takes a dig at aspiring athletes who want to make it pro. While Rune is now trying to battle his critics on the internet, this experience for him might create a toxic culture where winning is prioritized over sportsmanship and fair play.

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