Holger Rune 'eager to achieve' Grand Slam goal in 2024 as Australian Open looms - 'I feel like I'm ready'
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Updated 04/01/2024 at 11:51 GMT
Holger Rune made two Grand Slam quarter-finals in 2023 and starts the new season ranked at No. 8 in the world. The 20-year-old has added Boris Becker and Severin Luthi to his coaching team and says he feels "ready" to win a Grand Slam title. He is starting 2024 by playing in Brisbane, where he enjoyed teaming up with former world No. 1 Andy Murray in doubles.
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Holger Rune says he is “eager to achieve” his goal of winning a Grand Slam in 2024 and believes he is “ready” to do so.
The 20-year-old is seen as one of the brightest young talents in tennis and made two major quarter-finals in 2023. He also made the final of two Masters events and recorded wins over Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev and Jannik Sinner.
Asked about his goals for 2024, he told ausopen.com: “To win a Grand Slam. You know, it’s a big goal of mine. It’s what I’ve been working for all of my life, so I’m eager to achieve it.”
Rune has made significant changes to his coaching team over the last four months.
In October he started working with Boris Becker, and he recently added Severin Luthi to his team.
Both have experience of winning major titles with top players – Becker with Djokovic and Luthi with Roger Federer.
“I believe in myself always when I’m on the court,” added Rune.
“I feel like I’m ready (to win a Grand Slam). If I didn’t believe I was ready for it, then for sure it’s not going to happen.”
Rune started his season this week in Brisbane, not only signing up for singles, but also doubles, playing alongside former world No. 1 Andy Murray.
The pair were beaten in three sets in their opening match and Rune wishes he could have had longer around Murray to potentially soak up some of his knowledge.
“Honestly we didn’t have a lot of time for that, I wish we had more time,” he said.
“Maybe if we had won a couple of matches, we’d get to speak a little bit more. But that’s what it is.”
Explaining how the partnership came about, Rune said: “I asked him about a month ago if he wanted to play doubles here in Brisbane for preparation for the Australian Open and to get some matches. He said yes and it was good fun.
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Holger Rune (L) and Andy Murray
Image credit: Getty Images
“It was great. Unfortunately, we couldn’t win but I thought we played some good doubles together and it was good fun to share the court with him.”
Rune was hoping to absorb knowledge and wisdom from the two-time Olympic gold medallist throughout the week.
“Honestly we didn’t have a lot of time for that, I wish we had more time,” he said.
“Maybe if we had won a couple of matches, we’d get to speak a little bit more. But that’s what it is.”
Rune beat Max Purcell in his singles opener in Brisbane and followed up with a three-set win over Alexander Shevchenko.
The world No. 8, who is the top seed at the tournament, faces James Duckworth in the quarter-finals.
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