Holger Rune delays return to ATP Tour

Danish tennis player Holger Rune suffered a serious Achilles tendon injury last fall while playing a match in Stockholm. The devastating injury took the former World No. 4 out of professional tennis for an unknown timespan.

From the beginning, Rune had a positive and ambitious attitude. He attacked his rehab with an unmatched determination. Those who followed him on social media saw him hitting balls with a boot and doing creative exercises to keep himself in shape as his Achilles healed.

Rune planned to rejoin the ATP Tour at next week’s Hamburg Open, a mere seven months after his injury. He has since amended the timeline, much to the relief of his fans.

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Rune will not play on the clay

He withdrew from Hamburg and Roland Garros. On social media, he announced it was a tough decision, but many believe it was the right one.

From the moment he announced he was returning on clay, people were concerned about him aggravating or reinjuring the Achilles.

Given the footwork, sliding, and sometimes awkward body positions required to make shots on a clay court, these were valid concerns.

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Comeback on grass seems imminent

Rune did not officially say when he will return, but the grass season seems likely. It is a softer and more forgiving surface particularly in Rune’s situation.

Grass season is the shortest on the ATP calendar, beginning on June 8 immediately after the French Open and running through the conclusion of Wimbledon on July 12.

If Rune returns in June, that is an amazing recovery timeline of just 8 months. There was a time when an Achilles injury in any sport meant a year-long recovery.