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Holger Rune was supposed to return to the court at the Hamburg Open last month after spending more than 6 months on the sidelines. But that comeback never materialized, as he chose patience over pressure following the horrific injury at the Stockholm Open. But just when fans hoped for a Wimbledon return, he announced a heartbreaking update.

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“After a thorough assessment, we have decided that Holger will not participate in Wimbledon this year,” shared Rune on his Instagram story, posted originally by Danish media outlet TV2 Denmark. “His rehabilitation continues to progress very well. Both the Achilles tendon and the knee are responding positively, and he is making steady progress in all areas. All scans also look good. His movement on the court is getting better and better, and he is now able to train at a high level for a longer period of time without problems.”

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The statement came from his mother and manager, Aneke Rune, the 23-year-old also shared his own thoughts on the difficult decision. “Missing Wimbledon is not an easy decision, but the long-term goal remains the same: To come back stronger and be ready to compete at the highest level. I’m getting closer every day and it’s very satisfying to feel the progress. The spirits are high – see you soon.”

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The former world No. 4 has not played since rupturing his Achilles tendon in October 2025. The serious injury required surgery and a lengthy rehabilitation process.

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He had first hoped for a return during the recently concluded clay-court season, but he withdrew from both Hamburg and the French Open. And earlier this month, he also pulled out of the HSBC Championships.

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Before the injury, Rune had compiled an overall 36-22 win-loss record last year and was ranked No. 14. However, his biggest highlight moment came at the ATP 500 event at Barcelona, where he defeated home favourite Carlos Alcaraz in the final to capture his 5th tour-level title.

Reflecting on the setback, the current world No. 63 previously quoted, “The main reason I suffered this injury is fatigue, I’m certain of that. This is a factor that should scare the entire sports industry.”

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Now officially ruled out for the SW19, Rune joins the growing list of players who will not grace the All-England Club this year.

Holger Rune joins Tomas Machac and Sebastian Korda in SW19 withdrawals

With the Dane’s withdrawal, France’s Titouan Droguet is now set to replace Rune in the men’s singles main draw. However, he is not the only notable player to miss the grass-court Grand Slam. Czech professional Tomas Machac and American ace Sebastian Korda have also withdrawn from the men’s singles competition.

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Korda has not played a match since the Miami Open back in March because of a back injury. The American later decided to skip The Championships as he continued his recovery.

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The list of absentees also includes the former world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, Lorenzo Musetti, and Valentin Vacherot. All three players were ranked inside the top 20 before withdrawing from SW19.

Alcaraz has not competed since injuring his right wrist during his first-round victory at the Barcelona Open in April. Musetti, however, pulled out on SW19 because of a quadricep injury. The issue has kept him off the court since his home Masters event last month.

For Rune, the rankings’ impact will be relatively small. His opening-round exit at SW19 in 2025 means he will lose only 10 ranking points this year.

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Rune’s withdrawal is expected to cause some movement in the ATP Rankings. Rune is still projected to begin the North American hard-court swing from next month inside the top 100. That ranking will be important, as it should help him secure direct entry into ATP tournaments amid recovery.

With several big names officially ruled out, fans have already shifted their attention toward Rune’s possible return during the hard-court swing later next month.

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Supriyo Sarkar

2,130 Articles

Supriyo Sarkar is a Senior Tennis Correspondent on the US Sports desk at EssentiallySports, covering the ATP and WTA tours. His reporting runs from match analysis and player rivalries to what the sport's biggest names leave behind after they stop playing, including work on Serena Williams, Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert. One of his pieces broke down a post-retirement interview in which Serena's former coach described a rare moment of lost self-belief. An English Literature graduate, Supriyo moved into sports writing from academic writing and content leadership. He follows soccer as closely as tennis, which shapes how he reads pressure and rivalry across sports rather than inside one of them.

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Aatreyi Sarkar

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