Tennis legend Andre Agassi turned heads this week after being spotted working closely with one of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz’s top rivals, Holger Rune, on the practice courts of Washington, D.C., just days after the 2025 Wimbledon Championships.
The surprise training session took place ahead of Rune’s appearance at the 2025 Mubadala Citi DC Open. While no official announcement has been made about a coaching partnership, the moment sparked plenty of buzz on social media.
Holger Rune’s Fierce Rivalry With Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz
Ranked No. 8 in the world, Rune has firmly established himself as a serious contender alongside Sinner and Alcaraz on the ATP Tour. He has engaged in tightly contested battles with both stars, splitting his head-to-head with Alcaraz at 2-2, while narrowly trailing Sinner 2-3.
Rune’s drive to rise above his peers has been clear from the start. In a 2022 ATP interview, he declared, “I don’t want to be number two,” and “My goal is to be No. 1 in the world and win Grand Slams.”
The training session, captured by onlookers and quickly circulated online, took place at the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center, where the ATP and WTA 500 event is set to kick off from Jul. 21. Agassi, who previously coached Novak Djokovic (2017-2018) and Grigor Dimitrov (2018-2020), was seen offering hands-on guidance to Rune during a high-intensity hitting session.
Though there’s no confirmation of a formal coaching arrangement, it appeared to be more than a casual meet-up. The two spent significant time discussing footwork and rally strategy between drills.
Andre Agassi Steps Into the Spotlight Amid Rune’s Coaching Shuffle
Rune’s coaching history has been notably dynamic. Over the last two seasons, the 22-year-old has worked with an array of experienced tennis minds, including Patrick Mouratoglou, Boris Becker, Severin Lüthi, and his longtime mentor Lars Christensen.
Most recently, Rune brought Kenneth Carlsen onboard as head coach in August 2024, with Christensen returning in a supporting role. His frequent transitions have kept fans and analysts guessing about his team’s stability.
The appearance comes at a time when Rune is preparing to bounce back from a rough patch in his 2025 season. The Dane is coming off a disappointing first-round exit at Wimbledon and is looking to regain form during the North American hardcourt swing.
Rune is set to compete in Washington for the second time. His first appearance came in 2022, when he reached the third round before falling to J.J. Wolf in three sets.
