After Wimbledon, the players are in for yet another ride. Holger Rune just came off an unfortunate first-round exit at the All England Club. Before that, he had made an exciting run at the HSBC Championships. His season? A real mixed bag. He hit a rough patch with a round four exit at the Australian Open and collected a handful of early departures. Then came a spark—Rune powered into the finals at Indian Wells and late in Barcelona, even snagging a win over Carlos Alcaraz. Looking to shift momentum, he brought in the American legend Andre Agassi to his corner. Hopes soared as he headed into the Citi Open, but not for long.

On Tuesday, just a few hours before the tournament was set to kick off, with Rune scheduled to face Alexander Muller in the round of 32, things took a turn. Holger shared some tough news under the tournament’s tweet. “Super unlucky. Yesterday in practice my back locked and I am not fit to play today. I tried it before and nothing dramatic, just super bad timing, as I looked very much forward to play tonight in Washington. See you all soon 🫶🏼” he wrote on X.

The Dane’s track record at the Citi Open is brief but telling. In 2022, he scored an opening win against Benoit Paire, only to bow out in the second round to J.J. Wolf. Since then, he hasn’t appeared in Washington. While this year could have marked his return, that unfortunate back injury put things on hold. But this wasn’t a one-time thing.

Rune faced a scare at Wimbledon, visibly struggling with a knee injury that he openly said affected his performance. Reflecting on his surprising loss to Nicolas Jarry, he admitted, “Obviously, today didn’t make it a lot easier with my knee, but yeah, it was not great.” So it’s a tough time for the Dane.

Right now, World No. 9 Holger Rune stands at 22-14 this season, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. He’s hungry to build momentum, but for now, he’ll have to wait for his next breakthrough. The 22-year-old Dane recently got a boost by teaming up with a tennis giant. But how did this exciting alliance begin?

Well, it all started with a simple text message. That led to a phone call, and soon enough, a three-day training block in Washington D.C., right before the Mubadala Citi DC Open. Smart move—those are the same courts where Agassi claimed five of his 60 career titles.

Rune, now sitting at No. 8, can’t hide his excitement about this partnership. “It was nice. We’ve been in touch for a while and did a couple of days together here in Washington, where he was helping me with a few things, giving his opinion.” He added, “It was really a big pleasure. He’s a very, very wise man. I’ve never met a guy who sees the game this way.” With Agassi’s guidance, Rune was all set to sharpen his game heading into the US summer hard-court swing.

Holger Rune opens up about new partnership with American legend

Rune spoke at his pre-tournament press conference and fielded a pointed question: Why bring in Andre Agassi as his mentor? With confidence, he explained, “I thought now was a good moment to reach out to Agassi because my base is back and I’m playing well again. When you’re changing coaches a lot, you don’t play as well because you’re not following one opinion or a single structure. I thought this was the right time to get some extra input… It’s not anything magic, but he obviously had some very wise words I can use.” Rune’s candor sets the tone—he’s ready for a fresh start.

The 22-year-old is no stranger to legendary coaches. He previously tried to tap into Boris Becker’s expertise, but that stint didn’t last long. A couple of years back, Rune soared to a career-high World No. 4. Now, as the season heats up, he finds himself ranked No. 9, hungry for more. With the US Open Swing looming, Rune knows just how crucial it is to hit the ground running at the Citi Open.

The partnership with Agassi has good vibes written all over it. After teaming up in Washington, Rune couldn’t hide his enthusiasm on social media. Quotes from their training made waves on Instagram—and to top it off, Agassi himself jumped into the comments. “The future is bright,” the eight-time Grand Slam champ wrote. Is the American hinting at a deep collaboration or simply rooting for Holger Rune’s career? Only time will tell. Either way, it’s a bold endorsement.

For now, he will spend a little time on the sidelines, regrouping and recharging. Could this alliance with Agassi fuel a deeper run when Rune takes the court again? The five-time ATP Tour champion has his eyes set on the National Bank Open next, eager to show just how bright the future might be.