After Holger Rune suffered a serious injury at the 2025 Stockholm Open, his mother, Aneke Rune, criticized the demanding ATP calendar, stating that it contributes to an increase in player injuries. Many players from the ATP and WTA Tours have also voiced their concerns about the overwhelming schedules they follow during a season.
Rune was the top seed at the ATP 250 hard-court event in Sweden and began his campaign in the second round after receiving a first-round bye. In his first two matches, the Dane defeated Márton Fucsovics and Tomás Martín Etcheverry.
In the semifinals, Rune faced the eventual runner-up and fourth seed, Ugo Humbert, and he experienced a leg injury during the second set, which forced him to retire from the match. Aneke later confirmed to the press that he had torn his Achilles tendon.
What Did Holger Rune’s Mother Aneke Rune Say About the ATP Calendar After Dane’s Injury in Stockholm?
Following his retirement from the 2025 Stockholm Open, Rune took to social media to announce that it would be a while before he could return to playing tennis.
“It’s gonna be a while before I can step on court again. It’s tough. I had so much joy on court in Stockholm and it’s unbearable to think that I will not feel this energy for some time now,” Rune wrote on Instagram.
The former World No. 4 confirmed his mother’s statement about his injury, revealing that he had fully ruptured his Achilles tendon at the proximal part. He mentioned that he will require surgery and then undergo rehabilitation.
“My Achilles is full broken on the proximal part meaning I need operation already next week and from here rehabilitation. Thank you for all your support now and always . Without you nothing would be the same . See you as soon as possible,” he added.
Recently, Rune’s mother, Aneke, wrote to DR Sporten, critiquing the ATP calendar and asserting that her son’s injury was a result of “fatigue” due to the hectic schedule and the “pressure” imposed by the ATP on players.
“Now Holger is the latest victim in the line of injured players. An injury that most often comes from fatigue. It is unacceptable that you do not take the players’ well-being into account to a greater extent, but simply put more and more pressure on them,” Aneke wrote (translated from Danish).
Aneke described the ATP calendar as incoherent and claimed it puts “unrealistic pressure” on the players, which in turn causes injuries.
“I don’t think it’s coherent, and I think that there is unrealistic pressure being put on the players, which in the worst case could lead to the use of inappropriate methods to keep up with the ATP calendar. These are old-fashioned punishment methods, and they have no place in 2025,” she added.
After his campaign at the 2025 Stockholm Open, Rune was scheduled to compete at the Swiss Indoors, where he had previously finished as the runner-up to Félix Auger-Aliassime in 2022. However, he was forced to withdraw from the tournament due to the injury he sustained in Stockholm.
