Holger Rune set to make highly anticipated return to tennis after nasty achilles injury ahead of schedule at Hamburg Open

Holger Rune's tennis career was turned upside down after a brutal achilles injury at the Stockholm Open forced him onto the sidelines for a hefty period of time. However, he is set to return motivated as ever at the Hamburg Open, set to be played from May 16.

It was the worst possible case for Rune after going down in a devastating blow. The pain was etched onto his face in a nasty injury, emotional as he realised what this meant for his tennis career that had stalled in recent months.

The hype surrounding the young man had to be called off for a period of time as he went straight into rehab, doing everything he could in his power to make a swift return to the court. It was initially feared that he would be out of the sport for much longer than had been predicted.

A full-ruptured achilles was first touted to be a 9-12 month spell away from the sport. He picked it up in mid-October, and seven months later has defied the odds and will return to the sport much sooner than anticipated.

An ambitious guess for his return date may have been the US Open, set to be played out in September. This prediction has been way off, and part of that is due to how much work and effort the Dane has put in to return to the sport.

Highly respected from a young age, Rune made a name for himself by winning the Paris Masters in 2022. He has since reached five Masters 1000 semi-finals - converting three of them into final defeats, while sealing a trio of major quarterfinals between 2022 and 2023. On top of that, he has amassed a total of 11 ATP titles from 16 finals. Not bad for a 22-year-old. The last one came almost a year ago at the Barcelona Open, where he took down Carlos Alcaraz for a hugely significant title and a statement that he was still up to the fight.

His form has gone slightly downhill in recent times. Inconsistency at the highest level cost him places in the rankings, slipping down from a career high fourth in the world to dropping out of the top 10 around the time of his injury.

He used this time away from the court and spotlight to reminisce on the first few years of his tennis career. The talent was undeniable, but his conduct could take the headlines at times, known for an outburst and losing his composure when things did not go his way. He admitted that his Paris 2022 triumph may have affected his career negatively while also stating that this was the slap in the face his tennis career needed.

He was soon back on the court in different scenarios, not engaging the ankle straight away, but sooner rather than later, he was back on two feet, slowly working his way back up to full fitness. He traveled to the Middle East, specifically Doha, to lap up the warm climate and continue to progress closer to a return.

The time is about to come for him to flex his muscles back out on court. The Hamburg Open seems to be his chosen tournament for a comeback. He has had prior experience winning on clay in Germany, but not specifically this tournament. However, the title may be slightly out of reach at this very premature stage in his comeback. Ranked at world number 29, he will fall out of a seeding spot for Roland Garros with the points from his Barcelona run falling away. The challenge is now to get some rhythm on court and to bounce back with his newfound wisdom and belief that he can once more challenge the best and live up to the hype placed on his shoulders by many.