Holger Rune’s long road back from injury finally has a target date. Aneke Rune, his mother and manager, confirmed that the Dane is ready to make a return to the tour in August, nearly a year after the Achilles injury that ended his 2025 season.

“He is making really good progress on the field and is very happy with how things are developing. He is looking forward to competing again soon. Hopefully, it will be in Canada or Cincinnati,” said Aneke Rune via Berlingske.dk.

Those two events, the Canadian Open starting August 3, and the Cincinnati Open a week later, are both Masters 1000 tournaments. They will be a big step up for the 23-year-old, who’s coming back after such a long layoff. Encouragingly, Rune’s own recent social media activity has echoed his mother’s optimism. 

Rune has not competed in a competitive match since October 2025, when he tore his Achilles tendon in a semi-final at the Stockholm Open. This was followed by surgery, following which he was ruled out for nearly nine months. His comeback has already been postponed several times this year, with withdrawals at Hamburg, Roland Garros, Queen’s Club, and Wimbledon as well. His team has always focused on a full recovery, rather than being rushed to a certain date. 

On Instagram, he answered a fan’s question about whether he would be playing the US Open, and he replied with a simple “That’s the plan.” That same clip showed him hitting balls on the court, giving promising signs for his return. 

Earlier comments from his camp also described his rehabilitation as progressing “very well,” with both his Achilles and knee responding positively. They have informed that his on-court training capacity has increased steadily in recent weeks.

The absence has taken a real toll on Rune’s ranking in the meantime. Once as high as world No. 4 and a five-time ATP title winner, Rune has slipped to around No. 79. He was unable to defend points from his run to the Indian Wells final and his Barcelona title defense, where he defeated Carlos Alcaraz in the final, among other missed events.

The silver lining for his return is that he was injured and has been out for over six months, which means he is allowed to use a protected ranking. This will help him to participate in major tournaments without having to rely on his live ranking only, while he is making his way up the ranks.

A new racquet deal adds another layer to the comeback

Holger Rune will also be returning with a significant change in his equipment. Last week, Wilson announced a new deal with the Dane, replacing his longtime deal with French manufacturer Babolat. Throughout his career, he has used Babolat rackets only. Changing racquet brands while recovering from a serious injury is not without risk, either. Slightest change in weight, balance, or string can lead to an impact on timing and feel. It’s even a sign of the wider reset that Rune and his team seem to be creating with this resurgence.

Rune has made it clear in the past that he believes he got injured by being over-scheduled. He had come straight from the US Open to serve his Davis Cup team, then the Laver Cup, and finally a grueling Asian swing before the injury struck in Stockholm. “Everything in a row was just too much for me, and I think at the end my body got the answer of that,” he said. 

With a new racquet in hand and his mom now openly setting expectations for his return in August, Rune’s comeback is on the cards.