Holger Rune withdraws from Queen’s Club Championships, delaying comeback again

Holger Rune has withdrawn from the Queen’s Club Championships, extending his absence from competitive tennis and increasing uncertainty around his planned return during the grass-court season.

The Danish player, currently ranked world No. 64 after a prolonged spell away from the tour, had initially been expected to use the ATP 500 event in London as a possible comeback point following his Achilles tendon rupture suffered in Stockholm in October 2025.

He was expected to return during the clay-court swing but had to delay his comeback due to not being at full fitness, although the expectation at the time was that the setback would be brief. The 23-year-old has now withdrawn consecutively from Hamburg, Roland Garros and Queen’s, and could potentially arrive at Wimbledon without any competitive preparation on grass.

The decision removes another key preparation opportunity ahead of Wimbledon, which remains on Rune’s entry list. However, there is growing doubt over whether he will be ready to compete at the All England Club when the tournament begins on June 29.

Holger Rune has been sidelined since suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon during his match against Ugo Humbert at the Stockholm tournament in October 2025, an injury that has required a lengthy rehabilitation process.

The initial expectation was a gradual return during the clay-court swing, with Hamburg and Roland Garros identified as potential comeback events. However, both tournaments were ultimately removed from his schedule as recovery progressed more slowly than expected.

Rune had also been expected to return at the Queen’s Club Championships next week, but his team decided he is still not ready to compete.

While there has been no official confirmation regarding Wimbledon, it is becoming increasingly difficult to imagine him competing at SW19, especially considering that grass courts are not ideal for a return following an Achilles injury, and that best-of-five-set matches would further increase the physical demands for a player who has already been out for eight months.

Rune’s absence from Queen’s also adds to a list of high-profile names the tournament had expected to feature, with Lorenzo Musetti and Jack Draper also ruled out due to injury.

Despite the setback, Rune has not officially ruled out Wimbledon, with Danish media reporting that the 23-year-old still hopes to be fit for the tournament beginning June 29.

However, the physical risk of returning directly to Grand Slam level after a prolonged absence remains significant, particularly on grass, where movement demands differ sharply from other surfaces.

The lack of match rhythm further complicates the decision-making process, as any return would require immediate adaptation against top-level opposition without competitive preparation. After his ranking drop, nothing would prevent Rune from facing a top seed in the first round.

Alternative scenarios are now increasingly plausible, with the North American hard-court swing in July emerging as a more realistic target for a structured comeback.

At present, Rune is also projected to fall further in the ATP rankings, potentially sliding to around world No. 75 as he fails to defend points from Queen’s 2025.