"It’s not Rune vs. Alcaraz, it’s Spain vs. Denmark": Holger Rune on missing clash with World No. 1

Holger Rune is preparing to face Spain this weekend in the Davis Cup, and he addressed the absence of world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz as a factor that balances the tie, even if he still expects a tough battle in Marbella. Spain will also be without Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Marcel Granollers, leaving Jaume Munar and Pablo Carreño Busta as the team’s main singles players. The winner of this qualifying round will advance to the prestigious Finals 8 in November.

At just 22 years old, Rune stands as Denmark’s undisputed leader and the highest-ranked player in the series. Currently No. 14 in the ATP rankings, he enters as the clear favourite against Munar and Carreño Busta, but knows that playing on clay and in front of a passionate Spanish crowd will be a challenge. “Spain are the favourites if you look at their ranking as a country,” Rune admitted. “They are the ones playing at home, on their surface, and the pressure is on them.”

The absence of Alcaraz, who just lifted the 2025 US Open trophy and reclaimed the No. 1 ranking, inevitably shifts the dynamics of the tie. A potential blockbuster clash between Rune and the Spaniard was anticipated, but it won’t happen this time.

The 22-year-old star, however, brushed off any sense of personal disappointment. “It doesn’t disappoint me not to play against Carlos. If we had played, it would have been a nice battle, like always. But in the end this is not Rune vs. Alcaraz — it’s Spain vs. Denmark. What matters is that it takes three points to win, and it’s a team effort to get there.”

Rune also knows his role is crucial in Denmark’s bid. “Of course I have to win my singles, but we also have a good doubles team. Every match is important and you can’t only focus on the results. In February we came back from 0-2 against Serbia and won 3-2. Hopefully we start better this time, but either way we’re ready to fight and turn things around.”

Beyond the Davis Cup, Rune remains focused on his personal quest to qualify for the ATP Finals in Turin later this year. The 22-year-old is currently 14th in the Race with 2,190 points, still a considerable distance from the provisional cut at 8th place, where Lorenzo Musetti sits on 3,070 points. In between, strong contenders such as Félix Auger-Aliassime, Andrey Rublev, and Casper Ruud are also vying to close the gap.

So far, only Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have officially booked their tickets to Turin. Novak Djokovic (4,180) and Alexander Zverev (4,180) are virtually guaranteed spots, leaving the final places to be decided in a fierce battle over the next months. Rune admitted he has ground to make up: “I want to qualify and I know I need to play better, take a step forward and be more intense. The disappointment I felt in other tournaments has to serve as fuel. The only answer is to become stronger.”

While Denmark is not traditionally seen as a Davis Cup powerhouse, Rune has helped put his country on the tennis map. His victory over Alcaraz on clay earlier this season is a reminder of what he can do on the biggest stages, and his captain believes this Danish team can even dream of lifting the Davis Cup in the near future. Rune shares that optimism but remains cautious. “We have our chances, and why couldn’t it be this year? Now we have to focus on beating Spain. If we control the things we can, we are capable of everything.”

That belief stems from recent history as well. Denmark’s remarkable comeback against Serbia earlier this year showed the resilience of Rune and his teammates, who overturned a 0-2 deficit to claim a 3-2 victory in Copenhagen. For Rune, those experiences create a sense of unity and confidence heading into Marbella. “We’ve shown before what we can do as a team,” he said. “Winning three points is always a collective effort.”

“Every match counts, every experience counts,” Rune summed up. “We’re here to fight, to give everything for Denmark, and to see how far we can go. We are capable of everything if we believe.”

Even without Alcaraz and Davidovich Fokina, Spain will not be an easy opponent. Munar and Carreño Busta both have experience on clay, while the home advantage is expected to bring strong support from the Marbella crowd. Rune is aware that playing away is a very different test from leading Denmark at home.

Back in February, the Royal Arena in Copenhagen hosted 12,000 fans cheering Denmark on against Serbia — an atmosphere Rune described as one of the best he has ever experienced. “It was unique because we don’t have ATP tournaments in Denmark, so Davis Cup is the only chance I get to play at home. I’m very grateful for that. Hopefully we’ll get more ties like that in the future.”

This weekend, however, the situation is reversed. Spain will have the backing of its home fans, but Rune sees that as an opportunity rather than a burden. “It’s clear that playing away makes everything more difficult, but I’m going to enjoy it as much as possible,” he said. “The pressure is on them, not us.”