Holger Rune splits with Roger Federer’s former coach after only a month together
Holger Rune has split with coach Severin Luthi, having only started working with the Swiss in December.
Rune appointed Boris Becker as his head coach in October and two months later it was announced that the responsibility would be shared with Roger Federer’s coach of 15 years, in the aforementioned Luthi.
However, after his disappointing second round defeat to French wildcard Arthur Cazaux at the Australian Open, Rune’s mother and manager, Aneke Rune, has announced that they have split when speaking to TV2.
“The timing with Severin was not quite right. Holger needs a coach who is with him all the time and a super coach,” revealed Aneke. “Severin will be able to cover too few weeks for the continuity that Holger needs.”
Although Holger Rune faced disappointment at the first major of 2024, he did reach the final of the Brisbane International under Luthi’s mentorship.
Aneke Rune has also confirmed that her son will now be working with former top 50 compatriot Kenneth Carlsen, who worked with Holger Rune during his junior days.
“With the constellation Boris and Kenneth, Holger gets the flow he wants for his development and stability. Boris and Kenneth have been in contact since pre-season, when Kenneth was already considered for the coaching team,” explained Aneke. “And from now on, the majority of all the big tournaments will be with both coaches, it goes on.
“For Holger, it is absolutely right to expand the planned collaboration with Kenneth, with whom he also trained for several periods during his junior years.”
Rune will play his first match since the announcement of the split with Luthi tomorrow at the ATP 250 event in Montpellier, when he takes on Spanish qualifier Pablo Llamas Ruiz.
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Jannik Sinner’s Australian Open win mirrors Roger Federer’s maiden Grand Slam triumph in one aspect
Jannik Sinner has joined Roger Federer in winning his first Grand Slam title on the 17th attempt. Sinner won the Australian Open 2024 by defeating Daniil Medvedev 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 in the final on Sunday, January 28.
Jannik Sinner made his Grand Slam debut at the 2019 US Open, when he was just 18 years old. He didn’t enjoy any success at the tournament as he lost in the opening round to Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka.
From then until 2023, he appeared at the Majors 15 more times. In those 15 appearances, he finished as a quarterfinalist four times – at the French Open in 2020 and at the Australian Open, Wimbledon Championships, and US Open in 2022. He made it to the semifinals once, at Wimbledon in 2023.
However, Jannik Sinner began his 2024 season with a bang as he lifted his first Major trophy at the Australian Open. Apart from Medvedev, he defeated the likes of Novak Djokovic and Andrey Rublev during the tournament. In the process, he has replicated one aspect of Roger Federer’s first success at the Majors.
Federer started his Grand Slam journey at the French Open in 1999 and remained trophyless in his first 16 attempts. The Swiss clinched his first Grand Slam title in 2003 at Wimbledon. This was his 17th campaign at the Majors. He defeated Australia’s Mark Philippoussis 7-6(5), 6-2, 7-6(3) in the final.
“Holger Rune, Jannik Sinner, and Carlos Alcaraz, unfortunately, I missed playing against them” – Roger Federer
Roger Federer retired from professional tennis in September 2022 after winning a staggering 20 Grand Slam trophies.
In a recent interaction with Eurosport, he expressed disappointment at not being able to take on the current crop of young players, including Holger Rune, Jannik Sinner, and Carlos Alcaraz.
“Young guys coming through as well. A generation that I didn’t play very – at all, actually. Holger Rune, Jannik Sinner, and Carlos Alcaraz, unfortunately, I missed them, you know, playing against them,” he said.
Sinner and Alcaraz turned professional in 2018 whereas Rune did it in 2020. The trio, however, didn’t come face-to-face with the Swiss maestro before his retirement.
During the interaction, Federer showed optimism for the future of tennis, saying:
“I think the future looks bright. And of course, the game can always evolve, will always evolve. I really enjoy watching and still following a lot of the results. I mean, I just like how it’s actually not in a lull.”
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