Mouratoglou on Rune’s injury: “The toughest moments often bring the biggest transformations”

The images of Holger Rune collapsing on court in Stockholm were hard to watch. But for Patrick Mouratoglou, the French coach who once guided him to the top of men’s tennis, this painful chapter could become a blessing in disguise.

It was a shocking scene in Stockholm: Holger Rune falling to the court mid-rally, clutching his leg, knowing immediately something was terribly wrong. The 21-year-old Dane had just torn his Achilles tendon, a brutal injury that ended his season and put much of 2025 in doubt.

“What happened to Holger is terrible,” said Patrick Mouratoglou, Rune’s former coach. “But maybe in two years, he’ll look back and say: ‘That was the best thing that ever happened to me.’”

Mouratoglou knows the emotional toll injuries take on young athletes chasing greatness. “When something breaks, it’s not just your body that stops. It’s your whole world,” he said. “You watch others move forward while you’re stuck in bed or on a chair.”

But in his eyes, Rune’s forced time away could unlock new growth. “It’s in the toughest moments that the most important transformations happen,” Mouratoglou explained. “Holger is young, incredibly driven, and obsessed with tennis. This time will allow him to slow down and work on the mental and tactical parts of his game.”