HOLGER RUNE DENIES US OPEN WITHDRAWAL AFTER MOTHER'S COMMENTS

Holger Rune stated on social media that he did not withdraw from the US Open, contradicting earlier remarks by his mother and representative Aneke Rune. The day before Rune's statement, Aneke Rune told a French publication that the US Open would "certainly not" be part of his plans and that a comeback during the Asian swing would be the more prudent option. Rune has been absent from professional tennis since rupturing his left Achilles tendon at the Stockholm Open in October 2025. On X, he wrote: "I see conclusions on me withdrawing from US Open. I did not withdraw. I am working super hard everyday and as soon as I am ready, I am ready. I hope it will be US Open."

Rune's return timeline has faced repeated delays since May, with planned comebacks at Hamburg, Roland Garros, Queen's Club and Wimbledon all postponed. He withdrew from Cincinnati days before the tournament began, replaced in the draw by Daniel Merida. His ranking has fallen to No. 99 from a previous high of No. 4 due to the extended layoff. On a podcast with Andy Roddick, Rune outlined a more realistic scenario for his return: beginning his comeback at a Davis Cup tie involving Denmark against Bulgaria on 18–19 September in Hillerod. He cited the best-of-three-set format as gentler than Grand Slam competition and noted the motivational value of playing at home in front of Danish supporters.

Rune acknowledged that his return timeline depends entirely on how his Achilles responds during training in the coming weeks. He stated that starting at the Davis Cup competition would allow him to "get my comeback in front of all my Danish fans" and described it as "amazing". The injury underscores the physical demands of the professional ATP calendar on top-ranked players.