Holger Rune’s coaching carousel: where is this race headed?
After a controversial VAR decision in Miami that led to Rune’s defeat and an abrupt exit, it’s time to look at a deeper issue — his coaching instability.
The 21-year-old Dane is no stranger to controversy — his latest exit in Miami, marked by frustration over a VAR decision and a snub to the chair umpire, only adds to the narrative. But beyond in-match drama, a bigger concern looms: his constant coaching changes and their impact on his results.
Holger Rune has always been an ambitious young talent who—importantly—knows his worth. He has already published two (!) books about himself, and at the start of 2023, his claim that the next Big Three would be Alcaraz, Sinner, and… himself went viral on social media. His ambition and confidence often draw criticism in the tennis world, but there’s no denying his immense potential. What he lacks most, however, is a stable coach. Consistency is crucial.
The endless carousel of coaches in his team is a key reason why he has yet to reach a Grand Slam semi-final. Listing all the specialists he has worked with would take serious effort — maybe even a full survey. Does Holger himself even remember them all?
He has worked with Mouratoglou twice! The French coach first guided him from October 2022 to April 2023, helping him win his biggest career title, the Paris Masters. They parted ways, reunited in February 2024, and split again in July that same year. He also spent five months with the legendary Boris Becker and just two months with Severin Lüthi — probably the shortest partnership of his career. All this chaos eventually led him back to his childhood coach, Lars Christensen, who has been with him since he was six. His main coach now is Kenneth Carlsen, who joined his team in July 2024.
Despite all these changes, he has still achieved some notable results: a fourth-round finish at the Australian Open, a final in Monte Carlo, an ATP 250 title in Munich, and a quarter-final run at Roland Garros. But these aren’t the results you’d expect from someone aiming for a “New Big Three” status — especially when his main rivals have already won Grand Slam titles.
In the media, both Rune and his former coaches have been rather diplomatic about their breakups, thanking each other for their “fruitful” collaboration and moving on. But he is not an easy player to work with. He expects not just improvements in his game but also a coach who can provide managerial support. On top of that, the most influential figure in his team remains his mother, which likely makes some coaches uncomfortable.
As for his game, this is where things get complicated. He is an incredibly talented player, but he often steps onto the court wanting to showcase everything at once. A solid strategy takes time to develop, but Rune rarely gives his coaches that time. By the time a structured game plan starts to take shape, there’s already news that he’s working with yet another coach. A vicious cycle.
I really hope he sticks with the Christensen-Carlsen duo, as their partnership is already showing positive results. Yes, he lost to Jack Draper in the Indian Wells final, but it was still a Masters final! That’s an achievement worth focusing on, rather than the defeat. He shouldn’t rush into changing his team again. Because without stability in his coaching setup, there won’t be stability on the court. The sooner he realizes this, the better his chances of building a successful career.
Cover photo: Wikimedia.org/Hameltion
