Holger Rune interview: I hope Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and I are called the ‘big three’

Holger Rune is only 21, but he is already talking about lost time.

He has achieved more than most people his age. A couple of seasons ago he was the world No 4. He boasts wins over Novak Djokovic and he came up in juniors alongside tennis’s new superstars Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

But while they have pushed on over the past year in particular, claiming grand slam titles as well as the top world ranking, Rune is still waiting for that breakthrough.

So what is it that separates him from his more accomplished contemporaries? “I think stability is super important,” Rune says. He has lacked that recently. Over the last nine months, he has been on a coaching merry-go-round and it has seen him drop to world No 15.

First he ended his partnership with childhood coach Lars Christensen and high-profile Frenchman Patrick Mouratoglou. Soon after in October, he linked up with former Wimbledon champion Boris Becker, and added Roger Federer’s former coach Severin Luthi to the team too in December. On the outside, it looked like a dream team. But by early February, after Rune’s shock second round exit at the Australian Open, they had been moved on and Rune was back to the drawing board.

He needed people who could travel with him more consistently, and so he has turned again to Mouratoglou and former top 50 player, compatriot Kenneth Carlsen, who will be in his box at Wimbledon.

“I can’t say I haven’t practiced good in a year but I haven’t practiced the way I should have done,” Rune says candidly. “I’ve had a lot of changes in there with the coaching situation, so I wasted some time.

“It was great to spend time with Boris, I could learn a lot from him about the serve, about how he sees the game which is very interesting. But the fact that I had these stops with coaches I think was worse for me rather than good for me. I can’t say it was good for me. Of course it’s disappointing, but I learned for the future that if in five or 10 years I have to make changes I need to do it at the right moment and make small ones.”

It is a mature answer for a young player who has earned a reputation for being prone to outbursts and some juvenile behaviour. In Netflix’s Break Point documentary, Rune garnered some ridicule online for a scene where his mother Aneke made his bed for him. “I can make it clear, I definitely do my own bed,” he says now, setting the record straight, and shaking his head with a smile.

His on-court swagger, complete with boyish backwards cap, has led to a few telling offs from umpires over the years too. But that persona is quite the opposite to the man Telegraph Sport meets on the eve of Wimbledon. Sat at a picnic table overlooking Court 18 at the All England Club, Rune is softly spoken and actually quite shy, regularly fiddling with his cap to pull it lower over his face.

That shyness is replaced by a glint in his eye though when the topic of his potential place in a ‘New Big Three’ pops up.

“We cannot compare ourselves at all yet to Novak, Rafa and Roger. But the fact that people are starting to talk about the Next Big 3 is exciting. It’s what makes tennis bigger, exciting. Rivalries are very important. It’s interesting to have all characters, that’s why hopefully they’ll be calling us the next Big Three. I’m myself and I’m happy to be me.”

He has not always made friends with his on-court antics. He had a terse exchange at the net with member of the old guard Stan Wawrinka last year at the Paris Masters, with Wawrinka calling Rune a “baby” after. At the Australian Open, Rune also received a code violation for swiping at the microphone attached to the umpire’s chair. He is not too concerned about how he is perceived though.

“People can think what they want to think [about me],” Rune says. “Everybody’s allowed to have their own opinions. That’s what makes tennis interesting, that you have different characters. Obviously everyone likes the ‘good guy’ but again it’s about finding the character and attitude on court which is suiting the player in the best way, gets the most success.”

He adds that his fiery temperament works to his advantage, if channelled correctly. “How I’m best on the court is if I’m controlled when things go against me and when things go with me that I show emotions. I think Rafa [Nadal] is a great example of someone showing a lot of emotion, but a lot of good emotion on court. It’s a big inspiration. If we take those Big Three, because they’ve been the greatest of all time, I don’t think I’m ever going to be having a Roger Federer attitude on court, because it’s not in my character to be more quiet. I think Sinner is maybe closer to that. I’m young and still learning. It’s important to try to take what’s best from each player and if I could take someone’s attitude I would take Rafa’s.”

The time spent switching coaches this past year has put Rune behind schedule when it comes to his lofty goals, specifically winning a grand slam. “I thought if I could stay consistent I could have already maybe had one. I’ve just got to believe in what I’m doing now and trust the process.”

As Rune departs, he greets reigning champion Alcaraz warmly when they cross paths on the media balcony. This time last year, the Spaniard was easing past him in straight sets during their quarterfinal at SW19. Rune will hope that some of his contemporary’s success will rub off on him in the fortnight ahead.