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ATP Finals 2022: Holger Rune: “Alcaraz is my friend and my rival, I congratulate him on number one”

Holger RuneAt 19 years old, he has earned his place in the racket elite after a season finale in which he won the titles in Stockholm and Paris-Bercy, as well as the finals in Sofa and Basel.

The Dane, brand new ‘top10’ of the ATP and first reserve in the Masters Cup in Turn, attends to a small group of media, among them BRANDto talk about his brilliant rise and his plans for the future.

Ask. Do you remember when you came to the Masters as a ‘sparring’ in 2019?

Response. Yes, it was an incredible experience rallying with Federer, with Djokovic… I started playing professionally a few months later.

Q. What were your goals at the start of this season?

R. My goal was to finish in the ‘top25’. He did not expect to be a reserve for the Masters as the tenth in the ranking. What he wanted was to improve every detail.

Q. What now?

R. My goal for next year is to be number one. I have beaten almost all the players in the ‘top 10’, including number one. I know I’m missing and that’s why I’m going to work hard in the preseason. I want to be ready for Australia. I have a great team with me, which has been the same for a long time with the only addition of Patrick (Mouratoglou).

My goal for next year is to be number one

Q. How has your booking experience been?

R. I wish I had played, I still have that option. I have been able to visit Turn, I love Italy. I know how it feels for next year.

Q. Can you imagine a new ‘Big Four’ with you, Alcaraz, Sinner and Aliassime?

R. I hope so, it will be fine. I feel privileged to be part of this group. But we still can’t rule out Nadal, who has won two Grand Slam titles this year, and Djokovic, who won one. In almost all tournaments they are in the finals. They have very long careers and we are very young.

Q. You are 19 years old but you have been traveling the world for a long time. How old do you feel you are?

R. Off the court I feel like a 19-year-old, sometimes 16. When I’m in a game playing well, I’d say 30. On court you have to be mature because playing against opponents like Djokovic you can’t afford to miss two shots in a row. There is no room to get angry about what happened in the previous game. You have to keep fighting and keep believing.

Q. Are you more motivated by the fact that Carlos Alcaraz is the first in the ranking with your same age?

R. My goal is not to be better than Carlos but to be the best I can be. I have to focus on myself. What Alcaraz has achieved is incredible and deserves to be where he is. I must make my way.

Off the court I’m 19, sometimes 16, on it I feel like I’m 30

Q. What have you learned from so many games played?

R. I have learned from the matches with Djokovic because he inspires me no matter how much I beat him last time. How he behaves, how he plays… I’m very young and I still have to learn from the best. I am number 10 and if I have a lot to improve it is a good sign.

P. Cmo ve a Alcaraz?

R. He is a friend and a rival at the same time. I saw him yesterday and congratulated him for finishing as number one. We have known each other since we were 11 years old and we have a good connection. We played against each other a lot in juniors. He beat me and so did I, but always in very even matches.

Q. A video of you playing doubles at Tarbes 2017 has gone viral.

R. We got along well. I don’t remember who it was that took the initiative. I think we made the semifinals and we were close to the final. Carlos did not speak much English so it was difficult to communicate. We both showed a lot of energy on the court and I would like to play with him again.

Q. Do you miss something that 19-year-olds do?

R. I would like to spend more time with my family, but it is true that many times they travel with me. My mother is always there, my father came to Paris and my sister accompanies me in Turin. This kind of life makes you learn fast if you want to be on top. It is a good education.

Q. What are your hobbies?

R. I’m pretty boring. I play chess, cards, I like this type of thing more than the console. She played soccer when I was little and I liked Cristiano. The Danish team is incredible and I’m looking forward to seeing what they do at the World Cup.

Q. What game this season was a turning point that made you believe you could beat anyone?

R. When he beat Zverev in the second round in Munich. I realized that I could outplay the ‘top’ players. At Roland Garros, they beat Tsitsipas and made me believe more and more in my possibilities. If I hadn’t beaten them it would have been hard to convince me that I could do it.

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