"Got to understand a guy Becker's age also has a life": Other priorities likely behind Holger Rune coach split believes Jimmy Connors

Sunday, 11 February 2024 at 21:30

Jimmy Connors has given his take on Boris Becker's resignation from Holger Rune's coaching team after just four months. The German coach joined Rune's team in October 2023 during a turbulent period for the Danish player, who had exited in the first round of the US Open, signaling the end of his partnership with French coach Patrick Mouratoglou.

Becker was involved in Rune's off-season preparations but wasn't as present during the Brisbane International and the Australian Open. However, he did make appearances as a commentator during the televised broadcasts of the tournaments.

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The recent surprising news revealed that they would no longer be working together after only a few months. Becker cited personal commitments as the reason for not being able to continue coaching Rune:

“I would like to inform you that I will step down as the head coach of Holger Rune with immediate effect,” Becker wrote on his X account (former Twitter). “Due to professional and private responsibilities, I can’t give Holger what he needs now. I wish him only the very best and I’m always going to be his n.1 fan,” the German former world No. 1 wrote.

Boris Becker

@TheBorisBecker

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I would like to inform you that I will step down as the head coach of Holger Rune with immediate effect. We started this partnership with the initial goal to reach the ATP Finals end of last year but moving forward I realised that in order for this to be successful, I would need

4:04 PM · Feb 6, 2024

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Jimmy Connors weighed in on the Rune – Becker split:

Former tennis player Jimmy Connors discussed the topic in the latest episode of his podcast, Advantage Connors, reflecting on his time as a coach: "I know when I was with Andy Roddick, I was on the road a lot, going to different tournaments and being gone for 4, 5, 6 weeks in a row and going to Grand Slams, so it's a commitment," Connors said.

"I'm sure that [Holger] Rune saw what Boris [Becker] could bring to the table and how he could help improve him. But, on the other hand, he's got to understand a guy Becker's age has also a life," the American continued.

Rune’s coaching carousel

Even though Becker stepped in to fill Mouratoglou's role, Rune already had Roger Federer's former coach, Severin Luthi, as the head coach. This required them to collaborate in training the current world No. 7, which may have been one of the reasons for the separation from Mouratoglou.

Becker was absent from Rune's team during the Australian Open, and the Danish player (8th seed in Melbourne) experienced disappointment with an early exit in the second round, despite being seeded 8th. Following the tournament, Aneke Rune, Rune's mother and representative, announced that Luthi would no longer be part of the coaching team.

"Don't want to make a big deal out of it, but the timing with Severin [Luthi] was clearly not right. It would be too few weeks for Severin to be able to cover for the continuity that Holger needs," Aneke told Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet.

Holger Rune

@holgerrune2003

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Not the way I wanted to end my tournament in Montpellier tonight . Hope to be back soon #healthfirst

12:19 AM · Feb 4, 2024

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Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist

Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.

His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.

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