On October 18, during the semifinal of the Stockholm Open, Holger Rune ruptured his Achilles tendon, bringing his 2025 season to a sudden end. The Dane told his physio he heard a “pop” and was forced off the court in tears, grabbing the tennis world’s attention with concern for his well-being. Messages from players like Ben Shelton, Taylor Fritz, and even Rafael Nadal poured in wishing him a speedy recovery. And now, Novak Djokovic has chimed in too!

Holger hasn’t been on his feet since the incident a month ago. The World No. 15 revealed on social media that he suffered a full tear in the proximal part of his Achilles tendon. Since then, the former World No. 4 has been rebuilding his strength and documenting his progress. From gym sessions to gentle hitting on court, he’s slowly testing his foot and finding his rhythm again. And Nole seems quite impressed with his dedication!

The 38-year-old shared a video of Rune’s recovery and rehabilitation on social media. He added a heartfelt message of encouragement to the Dane. “Keep it going Holger 🙌💪 @holgerrune,” Djokovic captioned his Instagram story. It was a sweet gesture, and Rune clearly appreciated it, responding “🙏🙏💪” by resharing the post to his own story! Here’s a glimpse at the Dane’s recovery progress:

It will take time before Rune returns, but he’s making the right strides toward a strong comeback. There’s still no confirmation of when he’ll be back on tour. For now, the former world No. 4 has thrown himself into rehab with full focus and intent. He’s even back on court, carefully hitting a few balls while keeping his leg immobilized and following all the doctors’ instructions.
Staying positive mentally will be another big test.

Rune was the top seed at the 2025 Stockholm Open and began his campaign in the second round after receiving a first-round bye. He defeated Márton Fucsovics (6-4, 6-4) in his opener, then outlasted Tomás Martín Etcheverry (6-7(4), 6-3, 6-4) in the quarterfinals. Before the injury, the 22-year-old had been grinding all season, holding a 36–22 win-loss record and capturing the Barcelona Open title over Carlos Alcaraz in April.

While it’s unclear when he’ll hit the court again, the Dane has spoken about the injury with surprising perspective. He even admitted that it might not be the worst thing to happen.

Holger Rune makes a shocking revelation about his injury

Surprisingly, the 22-year-old isn’t too down about this setback. Rune opened up to Hard Court on November 18, sharing more about his recovery and how an unexpected injury brought his 2025 season to a sudden stop. The 22-year-old didn’t hold back on how much the whole ordeal stunned him. “Honestly, I think my injury was a shock for many tennis players and athletes because I never had an issue with my ankle, and my body was super healthy. I had no issues with inflammation, and I know that for sure, because after a tough spring, I had so many blood tests, cell tests, scans, MRIs, etc., done on my physical condition, and the results showed that I was super strong.”

He went on to explain the disbelief even more. “So this was not supposed to happen—this should not be possible. I’m 22 years old, I’m healthy and strong, and yet it happened. But I don’t believe in being ‘unlucky’ or having ‘bad luck’ in sports. Everything happens for a reason, and there is an explanation behind everything.” For the Dane, this moment isn’t about chance; it’s about finding answers. He made it clear that he won’t chalk it up to randomness when something feels off.

Since bursting onto the ATP Tour in 2020, Rune has built one of the most exciting rises in recent memory. He’s reached a career-high ranking of No. 4, captured five ATP titles, including the 2022 Paris Masters and the 2025 Barcelona Open, and become the highest-ranked Danish man in ATP history.

He’s reached three Grand Slam quarterfinals and owns a 175-107 record as of October 2025. At just 22, he already has wins over five top-10 players and hit his 100th career victory in early 2024. Still, Holger Rune believes the constant travel, pressure, and nonstop play might have caught up with him.

“So the main thing that could have caused this injury is fatigue, and that is super scary for the whole sports industry,” he said. “Sport is entertainment, and we love to entertain—we love that people enjoy watching us play. We just need to make sure to listen to our bodies, too. It can be very difficult to do that when you really love to play tennis as much as I do and love the game, the tournaments, and the fans.” And he might be right about that.

His injury struck a chord across the tour, especially with players like Taylor Fritz and Jack Draper, who recently spoke out on the same issue. Draper even took a short break after his first-round match at the US Open in August due to arm trouble.

For now, Holger Rune has the support he needs on his recovery. Yet the big question still stands: When will the Dane be back chasing titles again?