"Take more time": Greg Rusedski puzzled by sudden Holger Rune miracle return from Achilles tear
ATPSunday, 19 April 2026 at 11:30
Holger Rune will make a long awaited return from injury later this month at the Hamburg Open. He has not been seen on court since tearing his Achilles tendon at last year's Stockholm Open.
Rune has made a song and dance about his return on social media sharing insights into his recovery with many using it also to describe a wider issue which is one of players over exerting themselves like Rune did to the point of injury.
But Greg Rusedski like Steve Johnson on Nothing Major described the idea of Rune returning so soon as a bit of a bad idea. He said that he needs more time in order to recover and get right again before he ends up back on court.
The former Barcelona champion has been seen at tournaments including Monte-Carlo as he gears up for his return. Many did not expect to see Rune until at least post the US Open and even on paper that was a bit of a stretch when it came down to it but he has managed to come back instead a hell of a lot earlier than expected by a number of months.
Rusedski spoke on his Off Court Cuts podcast about his thought process behind Rune's decision to move so quickly and said the judgment should be trusted but in his view more time is needed.
“Holger [Rune] said he’s going to come back in Hamburg, which he announced in Monte Carlo to all the media,” said Rusedski.
“From my point of view, it’s better to be safer, take more time. That’s where the coach and the team around the player have to say, ‘Ok, let’s talk to the doctor, let’s look at the physio, I don’t want you back until you’re 100% fit.’ If you can do that and convince the player, that’s a great job in coaching and physiotherapy.
“That’s why the whole team has to be united. If they’re not united, problems occur. If everybody is pushing and pulling, trying to do a good job, and then overtraining the player, and not training them in a specific manner.
“Holger is a little bit unlucky; he pulled his Achilles, which is a terrible injury to come back from. I’m happy to hear about his comeback, but maybe it needs a little bit more time, we’re going to wait and see.”
Presumably he is doing it also in order to be back in time for the French Open which he is defending a fourth round from and his ranking has been dropping rapidly amid his time away from the sport. He would then find it hard to navigate with a protected ranking only and limited chances other than that so it is likely more of a forced quicker return to navigate that.
Holger Rune record - Roland Garros
| Year | Result | Opponent |
| 2022 | Quarter-finals (QF) | Casper Ruud |
| 2023 | Quarter-finals (QF) | Casper Ruud |
| 2024 | Fourth Round (4R) | Alexander Zverev |
| 2025 | Fourth Round (4R) | Lorenzo Musetti |
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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