“He has a great heart” – Holger “The Viking” Rune on new coach, Becker

The Dane was speaking from London, where is competing in the UTS Grand Final at the ExCel Centre, and he had warm words for his newly-appointed coach

Holger Rune Training UTS London – Tennis Majors / UTS

Jamie Malachy

December 15, 2023

Holger Rune is unfazed by new coach Boris Becker‘s criminal record, as he believes Becker’s temperament and tennis acumen say more about his character than his eight-month stint in prison does.

The Dane appointed Becker in October of this year in an attempt to arrest a drop in form that had plagued him since his run to the quarter-finals of Wimbledon.

It seems to have done the trick, as Rune finished his season on an upswing, pushing Novak Djokovic to three tight sets in both of their late-season encounters.

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— UTS Tour (@uts_tour_) December 15, 2023

Speaking to the media from the ExCel Centre in London, where the Dane is competing in the UTS Grand Final as Holger “The Viking” Rune, the 20-year-old came out in defence of his new coach.

“I know many players that really like him. So do I,” replied Rune, when asked whether Becker would have to win back the trust of the tennis community following his imprisonment and time away from the sport.

“Whatever he’s doing off the court, I don’t need to have an opinion on that because I hired him to coach me, not to do anything else. He’s a really good man. I think if people mistake him from that, it’s totally wrong, because he has a great heart and he’s a great coach.”

youngest-ever uts player returns for grand final

In the build-up to the UTS Grand Final on Thursday, the eight finalists practised at the arena as they geared up for the first day’s group-stage action on Friday.

For Rune, this is just his second time playing the event. He took part in the very first edition, as the then-17-year-old, ranked world No 827, stepped in to replace Matteo Berrettini and become the youngest ever UTS player in history – a record he still holds.

When asked to what extent Becker has been key to Rune’s recent mini-revival, The Viking replied, “in the end, it’s me.”

“But of course,” he added “he helped me a lot during this time, because I had the tough middle of the season with everything, so it was needed that he came and we started improving again.

“It’s more mental and tactical than technical, I would say. Of course, he has a few tips especially on the serve. He he had a great serve himself but it’s a lot of psychological.

“I watched before we started some highlights of him and Sampras in Berlin,” Rune went on.

The Viking’s road to the UTS Grand Final in London

“Incredible tennis and […] they still play like real tennis like you do nowadays. They are hitting the shots like we do almost, just more to the net, more serve and volley, but I think it’s exciting, it’s still an effective way to play.”

The Viking will take on Jack “The Power” Draper in the pair’s opening group-stage match at the UTS Grand Final.

It will be the first meeting between the pair, who are widely expected to play leading roles at the top of the sport throughout their careers.

This will be a meeting like no other, however, as each player must adjust to the unique rules and atmosphere that make up these eminently distinctive UTS events.