Holger Rune

Holger Vitus Nødskov Rune (Danish: [ˈhʌlˀkɐ ˈviːtsʰus ˈnøðˌskʌwˀ ˈʁuːnə]; born 29 April 2003) is a Danish professional tennis player. He has been ranked as high as world No. 4 in men's singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), making him the highest-ranked Danish man in the history of the ATP rankings. Rune has won five ATP Tour singles titles, including a Masters 1000 title at the 2022 Paris Masters, and has reached three major quarterfinals.

As a junior, Rune was a world No. 1 and won ten titles on the ITF Junior Circuit, including the 2019 French Open boys' title. After turning professional in 2020, he won five titles on the ITF World Tennis Tour and five on the ATP Challenger Tour and made his top 100 debut in the 2022. Three months later, Rune reached his first ATP Tour final at the 2022 Bavarian International Tennis Championships, where he won his first title and subsequently entered the top 50. By winning the Paris Masters later that year, Rune made his top 10 debut and became the first player on record (since the ATP rankings began in 1973) to beat five top-10 opponents at the same event outside the ATP Finals.

Rune was born on 29 April 2003 in Gentofte to Aneke Rune and Anders Nødskov. He has a sister named Alma and they grew up in Charlottenlund. He began playing tennis at the age of 6 because his sister played and he started to take the sport seriously. Throughout his childhood, he was coached by Lars Christensen, and along with his mother, he is credited as his biggest inspiration. His idol growing up was fellow tennis player Novak Djokovic. He started training at the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy in 2016, at the age of 13.

In 2014, he became Danish U12 champion in mixed doubles with Clara Tauson. In 2017, he won the European U14 singles championship.

At age 15, he became the youngest Danish male singles champion by winning the 2019 indoor tournament. On 8 June 2019 Rune defeated Toby Alex Kodat to win the 2019 French Open boys' singles title. Holger received a wildcard and won a match at the 2019 Blois ATP Challenger in June. At the time, he was 16 years, 1 month and 18 days old. Holger also competed in the 2019 Amersfoort Challenger in July where he captured his second ATP Challenger match win. On 28 October 2019 he achieved a ITF juniors ranking of world No. 1 after he defeated Harold Mayot to win the ITF Junior Finals. Rune served as a practice partner at the 2019 ATP Finals.

Rune officially turned pro in 2020 at the age of 16. At the 2020 Auckland Open, Rune received a wildcard into the qualifying draw but lost to Vasek Pospisil in straight sets. In July 2020, Holger became the youngest player to compete at the Ultimate Tennis Showdown (UTS), where he was defeated by French player Corentin Moutet.

In September 2020, Rune won his first ITF title at an M25 event in Switzerland. He would make three more ITF finals by the end of 2020, winning two of the three. In October 2020, Rune received a wildcard to the ATP Challenger 80 in Puente Romano in Marbella, AnyTech365 Marbella Tennis Open. He lost in the first round to Elliot Benchetrit.

Rune made three more ITF finals at the start of 2021, winning one.