Holger Rune’s words, “Do you want a player to die on court?” from the Shanghai Masters still echo in the minds of fans. Battling through brutal 34°C heat and 80% humidity back then, Rune’s frustration was clear. Now, just days later, the 22-year-old Dane, ranked World No. 11, has suffered a devastating injury at the Nordic Open. The commiserations have poured in, and Ben Shelton, after having suffered a painful injury recently at the US Open himself, was one of the first to send his wishes.

At the Stockholm Open, Rune was facing Ugo Humbert in the semifinals and looked in control after taking the first set 6-2. But disaster struck in the second. At 2-2, while stretching wide to chase down a ball, Rune heard a pop in his lower left leg. With that, the young star was left in visible agony before leaving the court in tears, forced to retire from the ATP 250 tournament. Watching the moment unfold, Ben Shelton’s reaction captured heartbreak and hope for Rune’s recovery.

Just a few hours ago, Ben Shelton took to his Instagram Stories to reshare a post from @tennischannel, adding his own heartfelt caption: “Hate to see this 😞 Praying for a speedy recovery @holgerrune🙏.” Like Shelton, fans everywhere are sending their prayers and positive thoughts to Holger Rune. But how long will it actually take for the young Dane to get back on court? Unfortunately, the answer isn’t encouraging.

Providing an update on his injury, Rune shared a tough message on Instagram: “It’s gonna be a while before I can step on court again. It’s tough. I had so much joy on court in Stockholm and it’s unbearable to think that I will not feel this energy for some time now.” He went on to confirm that his Achilles tendon was fully ruptured near the top, requiring surgery next week.

In the end, Rune closed his post with a hopeful, “See you as soon as possible.” In cases of a full or partial Achilles rupture, recovery can take anywhere from nine to twelve months before a player can return to competition. So while Holger Rune didn’t specify an exact timeline, his words made it clear that he’ll be sidelined for quite a while, at least until next year’s US Open and that too only if his rehab goes smoothly.

Interestingly, his exit comes as part of a troubling trend this season, with several players, including Naomi Osaka and Jack Draper, ending their years early due to injuries. It’s another reminder of how demanding the ATP calendar has become, something Taylor Fritz and Jake Draper have both spoken out about following Rune’s injury. And while Rune faces a long road back, his absence does open the door for others. For Ben Shelton, in particular, it could mean a more favorable draw in Basel. How, you ask?

Golden chance awaits Ben Shelton at Swiss indoors

At the US Open, Ben Shelton picked up a shoulder injury in the fourth set of his third-round match against Adrian Mannarino. The setback kept him off the court from late August until early October, when he finally made his return at the Shanghai Masters. Unfortunately, the comeback was short-lived as Ben Shelton’s campaign ended in the first round with a loss to David Goffin. Still, the young American wasn’t about to let one early exit define his fall season.

Now, the 23-year-old U.S. star is set to kick off his indoor hard-court swing in Basel tomorrow at the Swiss Indoors, one of the last ATP 500 tournaments of the year. Seeded second, Shelton has landed in a favorable position in the draw, and his chances of going deep just improved dramatically following Holger Rune’s recent injury.

Rune, who was drawn in the same half as Shelton, was expected to be the biggest obstacle standing between the American and the final. But after the Dane’s unfortunate Achilles injury in Stockholm, the world No. 11 is now doubtful for Basel, leaving the bottom half of the draw wide open. With Rune likely out, Shelton suddenly finds himself as the clear favorite to make a serious run.

That said, do you think Ben Shelton can capitalize on Holger Rune’s absence and make a deep run in Basel? And what are your thoughts on players like Rune and Fritz calling out the packed ATP schedule for causing these injuries?