Holger Rune has only played three ATP Tour-level tournaments since returning from injury, but already there is cause for great optimism.
After competing at the Davis Cup, the 23-year-old officially returned to action in Japan, losing rather convincingly to Kyrian Jacquet.
It was never going to be a straightforward return for someone who had been out injured for so long, and so another first-round exit in Shanghai was to be expected as well.
There were shoots of improvement in this defeat though, following Rune’s apology for his earlier performance.
However, it’s Basel where these brief glimpses of quality have materialised into tangible success, and a genuine reason for optimism as he slowly gets back to full fitness.
Holger Rune’s improving form since returning from injury
Holger Rune’s decision to withdraw from Brussels was one universally accepted. Returning after such a long spell injured was never going to be an easy process without a setback or two.
However, it’s how he’s reacted since then which really deserves celebrating.
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He scored his first win back in the opening round, outlasting Quentin Halys by winning the match in a third-set tiebreak.
Rune then followed that up with a hugely impressive win, defeating the in-form Hubert Hurkacz in another third-set tiebreak.
These performances proved that his fitness recovery training had clearly been paying off, with a level of quality that you just don’t lose.
His battling three-set loss to Valentin Vacherot does little to change this positivity.
With a proper off-season after this year concludes, Rune could return better than ever in Australia, ready to compete for titles once again.
Exactly how long did Holger Rune spend out injured?
To truly appreciate just how long the road to recovery has been for Rune, it’s worth remembering exactly how long he has spent sidelined.
After all, whilst many have emphasised the pain and frustration of Carlos Alcaraz’s five-month injury absence, with Jannik Sinner having also ended his season early, the Danish star has arguably suffered more than either.
He picked up his injury during the Stockholm Open semi-final, where he led by a set over Ugo Humbert.
The horrific Achilles injury he suffered happened on the 18th of October, 2025.
He did make his return at the Davis Cup, but his first official ATP Tour match came on the 1st of October, earlier this month: 348 days, or 11 months and 13 days.
Rune had to wait even longer for his first win, ending a 373-day win drought at the tour level by beating Quentin Halys earlier this week in Basel.
Some people criticised Rune for rushing his recovery, but it’s fair to say that he has made the right decision as his form steadily improves.
