"If I leave a drink anywhere, I never pick it up again" - Holger Rune on the measures he takes to avoid failing doping tests
ATP
The tennis world has been rocked by doping controversies over the past few months, which has led Danish star Holger Rune to reveal how he ensures he avoids violating any anti-doping regulations.
World No.1 Jannik Sinner and reigning Roland Garros champion Iga Swiatek are the latest top-ranked tennis athletes to fail doping tests. Sinner tested positive for a prohibited substance earlier this year at Indian Wells, whereas Swiatek tested positive shortly after the US Open.
Rune admits to being tested frequently during the season
The World No.13 is set to compete at the Ultimate Tennis Showdown Grand Final in London this weekend. Prior to the event kickoff, Rune gave his thoughts on the latest doping scandals that have left the tennis community divided.
"We had a lot of doping control this year,” said Rune. “Before the Olympics this year, I had around 20 (test) and that is a lot, but they are doing everything to keep the sport clean, which is very, very important.
“I take a lot of care about the supplements I take like every player, but it can be unfortunate or it can be something else (if you test positive). Personally, I always take care of what I eat and drink. If I leave a drink anywhere, I never pick it up again. You have to protect yourself where you can to make sure I can do what I can to do what I love and that’s play tennis every day.
“I do blood tests maybe once a year to see what my body needs more of, but that’s too personal to talk about. It’s things like vitamin C when you get sick and you need more of that.”
“I take a lot of care about the supplements I take like every player, but it can be unfortunate or it can be something else (if you test positive). Personally, I always take care of what I eat and drink. If I leave a drink anywhere, I never pick it up again. You have to protect yourself where you can to make sure I can do what I can to do what I love and that’s play tennis every day.
“I do blood tests maybe once a year to see what my body needs more of, but that’s too personal to talk about. It’s things like vitamin C when you get sick and you need more of that.”
Amazing family behind these beautiful jewels @ShamballaJewels 🫶🏼 pic.twitter.com/QuqHsa0e5I
— Holger Rune (@holgerrune2003) December 4, 2024
Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.
As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.
With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.
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