Holger Rune has suffered a setback in his bid to make a spectacular return to tennis just seven months after suffering a torn Achilles tendon. The Danish tennis player shared the news on social media on Monday.
Holger Rune Makes Feelings Clear After Delaying Comeback Bid
Rune was attempting to return to action at the Hamburg Open but has now announced he will not take part in the clay-court season. This means that the 23-year-old will also not be playing at the French Open, where he reached the quarterfinals in 2022 and 2023.
“Tough decision not to play the clay season, but the right one. Can’t wait to see you all on the grass. Thank you to everyone for your love and support throughout my rehab. See you in not too long,” he wrote on social media on Monday.
Tough decision not to play the clay season , but the right one . Can’t wait to see you all on the grass 🤩 Thank you to everyone for your love and support throughout my rehab ❤️ see you in not too long
— Holger Rune (@holgerrune2003) May 11, 2026
As per the New York Times, Rune felt some knee irritation during the final phase of his rehab and decided to take precautions, delaying his comeback.
Achilles injuries are among the most grueling in sports, as they can take 10-12 months to recover from. But the 23-year-old had been attempting to make an audacious comeback on clay, just seven months after tearing his Achilles.
There were promising signs that Rune could pull off the improbable and make his comeback, as he posted videos of himself hitting tennis shots while wearing a protective boot, and later working on his gym and court work without it. He even uploaded a video of himself running side to side while practicing on clay earlier this month.
Despite not playing on clay this year, Rune is already looking forward to the grass-court season. A one-time quarterfinalist at Wimbledon, he is reportedly planning to make his return at the HSBC Championships. The grass-court tournament at Queen’s Club in London will begin on June 15.
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A return to competitive tennis on the ATP Tour next month remains an ambitious target, but Rune has shown great determination throughout his rehab process, and it will be interesting to see how he fares during the grass-court season.
Regarded as one of the most exciting young players in tennis, Rune has won five ATP Tour titles. His most recent triumph came at the 2025 Barcelona Open, where he defeated Carlos Alcaraz in the final. He achieved a career-high ranking of world No. 4 in 2023 and was a regular contender for titles on the ATP Tour before suffering his injury.
