The semifinal of the 2025 Stockholm Open on October 18, culminated in a scene of devastation for Holger Rune. The 22-year-old Danish star, who was leading his match against Ugo Humbert 6-4, 2-2, pulled up mid-point after scrambling for a wide ball, immediately clutching his lower left leg in severe pain.

The match was abruptly halted as Rune, in clear distress, hobbled to his chair and broke down in tears, requiring assistance from his physio to leave the court while his mother, Aneke Rune, looked on from his player’s box with visible concern. The emotional reaction from his team underscored the severity of the situation, with journalist José Morgado reporting that Rune told the physio he had heard his Achilles tendon “pop.”

In the immediate and painful aftermath of the injury, the tennis world feared the worst, and those fears were soon confirmed by the person most closely involved in Holger Rune’s career. As reported by the account @holgieruneee on X, Aneke Rune, who is also her son’s manager, spoke with the Danish media outlet Ekstra Bladet to deliver the grim official diagnosis.

She confirmed that Rune had indeed suffered a torn Achilles tendon and would require surgery to repair the rupture. Furthermore, providing a heartbreaking detail to the media, she stated, “They are absolutely certain. Of course, Holger is devastated. They say they can see the injury with the naked eye.”

This direct communication from Aneke Rune provided the definitive confirmation that the sporting community had been dreading, moving the conversation from speculation about the injury to the long and difficult road to recovery that now lies ahead for the young athlete.

The implications of this specific injury are severe and will sideline the World No. 11 for a significant period. This prognosis effectively ends what had been a promising 2025 season for Rune, a year that saw him reach the final of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells and win the Barcelona Open by defeating Carlos Alcaraz. More devastatingly, his injury and subsequent absence have shattered his determined push to qualify for the season-ending ATP Finals, for which he was in contention. This kind of injury has also been seen many times in the sport’s history, sidelining many other players from their goals.

Holger Rune isn’t the only victim to a blown Achilles

Many other tennis stars have gone through the tough experience of an Achilles tendon rupture, just like Holger Rune is dealing with now. This injury often leads to long breaks from the tour. One standout player on the ATP Tour is Lucas Pouille. A French player, who used to be ranked World No. 10, completely ruptured his Achilles tendon back in February 2025 while playing in the final of a Challenger tournament in Lille. Pouille hit the ground in pain after going after a drop shot and later shared the news on social media, saying he would need to have surgery.

On the WTA Tour, Australia’s Storm Hunter faced a tough time with a serious injury. The world No. 3 in doubles ended up rupturing her Achilles tendon during a practice session right before a Billie Jean King Cup tie in 2025. She had surgery, and it looks like her recovery will keep her off the court for quite a while, with reports suggesting it could be four to six months.

So, Rune is now up against one of the toughest challenges of his young career, and he’s got a long and tough rehab journey in front of him. Whether he makes it back to the top of the sport really hinges on how resilient he is and how well he recovers from this tough Achilles injury.