The Dane August Holmgren plays the tournament of his life in Wimbledon. He turns two matches after defense against match balls – even tennis romantic.
Never won a match at a Grand Slam tournament-and then move in at round 3 at the most important tournament in the world? Sounds like a fairy tale, but is a fact. The Dane August Holmgren writes exactly this story in Wimbledon.
It started quite harmless. Holmgren had to be a world rankings 192. In qualification, his first two games won there. Both after the set and break deficit. Then, at the decisive duel against Yosuke Watanuke, he fought three match balls, won 6: 4, 6: 7 (2), 3: 6, 7: 6 (11), 7: 6 (7). Main field in Wimbledon: reached. (At the Australian Open and French Open, he was eliminated in qualification.)
Then: victory over the Frenchman Quenton Halys in three sets. And finally: another drama, this time against the world ranking 21. Tomas Machac – 7: 6 (5), 6: 7 (8), 6: 7 (5), 7: 5, 7: 6 (5). In the 4: 5 in the fourth round, it was already 0:40 behind, but also turned this game after 4 hours and 38 minutes.
August Holmgren: From the theater to the largest tennis stage
Holmgren, like many of the college tennis, came for five years for the San Diego Toreros, between 2017 and 2022.
He gradually completed his first ATP match on site when Lucky Loser – but lost smoothly against Grigor Dimitrov.
In 2024 he cracked the top 200 for the first time
His Bachelor title in the “Theater Arts and Performance” area? Somehow fits his appearance on the world’s largest tennis stage. “I am sure that there are many similarities when it comes to being present at the moment – and challenging me to explore uncomfortable situations,” he said after his third round.
“But primarily for me it is a great thing that is fun. And in which I am interested in tennis,” he said. “To make a balance in my life.”
And then there is the feature that tennis romantic loves.
Holmgren, hairstyle -technology type surfer and guitar player, also does justice to this cliché, he plays guitar (“a bit, in cool locations where it is allowed”) and loves surfing.
In addition, there is the one -handed backhand, which he did not geared towards his idol Roger Federer, but on that of his father. A feature that tennis romantics love. “I never tried to copy someone,” said Holmgren, “especially not Federer. That is impossible.”
Little seems to be impossible for the 27-year-old currently in Wimbledon 2025, the tournament of the surprises. Opponent on Saturday in round 3: The Australian Alex de Minaur.
By Florian Goosmann from Wimbledon
Worth a look
