Holger Rune shockingly crashed out of the US Open after falling to Roberto Carballes Baena in the first round. Now, his mother, Aneke Rune, has alleged that ego clashes between coaches Patrick Mouratoglou and Lars Christensen are pulling Rune down.
Mouratoglou is one of the biggest names in tennis coaching and has previously worked with Serena Williams. Christensen, meanwhile, has been training Rune since he was four. Mouratoglou left the Dane’s team in April 2023 after six months of association. The duo, however, got back together for the US Open, but it did not work out.
Holger Rune suffering because of coaches’ ego hassles, says mother
Rune’s mother Aneke has been actively involved in her son’s career. She is present in the box whenever the World No.4 takes to the court. A successful businesswoman in her own right, Aneke doubles up as a manager for her son and his tennis career. While she has been a constant presence, Rune has been juggling coaches.
Rune’s coaching staff has seen repeated switches between Mouratoglou and Christensen. Aneke admitted she is unsure what their next decision will be after the premature US Open exit. She claimed the team, which was working well before, faced issues because of ego clashes between the two coaches. She said that her son gets negatively affected by this.
“I don’t know what will happen with the coaching situation now. It’s a bit strange. The team that worked at the end of the year (2022) suddenly didn’t work in Australia. There were ego clashes between the coaches. The team that worked in the gravel season suddenly doesn’t work now. Ego clash again? The fact is that it is Holger who pays the price for it every time, and that cannot be right.”
Aneke said that the final decision to choose lies with Holger. She advised him to proceed with Christensen for the future. The disappointing result will surely weigh on Holger’s mind, who’s association with Mouratoglou has always been chaotic.
Rune’s short but chaotic time with Mouratoglou
Mouratoglou first joined Rune’s staff in late 2022 and worked alongside Christensen, jointly coaching the 20-year-old in the Australian Open. They ended the collaboration in April 2023. However, for the following clay season, Rune’s childhood coach was absent and the Frenchman returned to work alone for the French Open and other tournaments. Christensen was then back in the box for Wimbledon, with no sight of Mouratoglou.
The merry-go-round continued as the Frenchman returned for the US Open. After making it to the quarter-finals in the two previous Grand Slam events, Rune was expected to go similarly deep, perhaps even more. However, he spectacularly lost to World No.63 Carballes Baena in four sets. This means he is winless since making it to the Wimbledon quarter-final.
The partnership with Mouratoglou, who counts Coco Gauff, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Simona Halep amongst his proteges, does not seem to be working out for Rune. Aneke has explicitly advised her son to continue with Christensen alone, but it remains to be seen what decision the World No.4 makes. Only this time, if he splits with Mouratoglou, it will likely be permanent.
