Rune pulls out of Auckland, focusing on training ahead of Australian Open

The 19-year-old is focused on performing well at the first Grand Slam of 2023

TENNIS : BMW Open – Munich – 27/04/2022

January 5, 2023

The Holger Rune camp are taking no chances when it comes to getting their man 100 percent ready for the first Grand Slam event of 2023.

The Dane had been due to play in next week’s ATP event in Auckland but according to Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet, he will now focus on training at Melbourne Park.

“Although we had been looking forward to Auckland, which is a fantastically enjoyable tournament, Holger listens to his coaches, who agree that the plan is to train through now with good recovery in between, Aneke Rune said.”

Auckland update:
OUT: Rune
IN: Wolf
Next: Gasquet
— Entry List Updates (@EntryLists) January 5, 2023

The 19-year-old, who broke into the world’s top 10 in 2022 after a stellar year in which he also won his first Masters 1000 title, will now travel to Melbourne on Saturday, the newspaper said.

That will enable him to get used to conditions there and to avoid the stresses of playing a tournament in the week preceding a Grand Slam.

“He is training to the max now, and it already looks much better than when we arrived,” Aneke Rune said, referring to his defeat in the first round of the Adelaide ATP event.

“It gives a huge freedom in Holger’s game when he knows that he is strong in all parameters before a tournament.”