Holger Rune needs a bit of
Nick Kyrgios energy according to
Mats Wilander for the next step which would be to advance to a grand slam final and possibly win one.
Wilander has been following Rune for much of his career and he's quite familiar with his tennis. The Swedish former player is impressed with the Dane and his rise with his talent never in question. Getting to the next level will take a bit more out of Rune as he explained on Eurosport as part of the Roland Garros coverage:
“I don’t know if we can ever expect him to be a hundred percent
committed professionally, emotionally, physically from the beginning of
every match. I just don’t think that’s his
personality. I think he needs mayhem, he needs a
little bit of that Nick Kyrgios, and he didn’t have that. He was flat
and I think it’s a learning lesson for him, but again I don’t know if he
has the energy to be because he’s so fired up in a way – but not with
his tennis racquet in his hand.”
More passion
Rune is generally a very passionate player who brings a lot of energy to the court but he was quite flat against Ruud. Wilander expected him to bring a lot more energy in the second set following the poor first but it didn't happen. It happened in the 3rd but by that time it was a bit too late:
“I would have expected him [Rune] to get a little more fired up early
in the second set. I mean, I can’t believe I’m
saying this, but maybe start talking to his box, start screaming at his
box, start finding people in the stands, just to do something. Eventually though he started actually, I think, getting a bit
irritated with the other side of the stadium which is where Casper
Ruud’s box is, and I think he was using that.”