Holger Rune won't play during this clay court season despite setting his stall out to play at the Hamburg Open which starts next week on May 16.
Rune surprised the tennis world with confirmation that he was planning on playing Hamburg mere months after he tore his achilles during a match at the Stockholm Open.
An injury which also opened the debate surrounding whether players are playing a bit too much after Rune almost threw himself into a metaphorical wall towards the back end of the season and it is already quite an issue when it comes to players playing often through injuries.
This is, of course, due to the lack of ranking protection and the various races that go on over the course of the season. But what was surprising was his return was given an almost year recovery time; people said that the earliest he would feasibly return would be the US Open.
Rune to return towards Wimbledon
But he was back playing within months in one of the quickest recoveries from an injury like this seen in the sport. It seems, though, that he has his sights set on not coming back undercooked and will return towards Wimbledon. There are plenty of grass tournaments, including Halle, Queen's, among others, that Rune could play, and given the switch from clay to grass to hard courts, it is perhaps a good move to switch his full focus to the next major.
"Tough decision not to play the clay season, but the right one. Can’t wait to see you all on the grass. Thank you to everyone for your love and support throughout my rehab. See you in not too long," said Rune on X.
Tough decision not to play the clay season , but the right one . Can’t wait to see you all on the grass 🤩 Thank you to everyone for your love and support throughout my rehab ❤️ see you in not too long
— Holger Rune (@holgerrune2003) May 11, 2026
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Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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