Request via Instagram: Holger Rune grabs Djokovic for training
Top junior Holger Rune simply grabbed Novak Djokovic as a training partner in preparation for the clay court season.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Mar 28, 2021, 08:13 am
It's that simple: Just send Novak Djokovic an Instagram message - and you have almost the best possible preparation for your own clay court season.
It must have gone something like this in the case of Holger Rune. The Norwegian, currently number 1 among the juniors , has just won his first match at ATP level in Santiago and has already had some match practice on red ashes - and thought: Questions don't cost anything. "I wrote to him on Instagram to be completely honest. Whether he was in Monaco or in the area - because I had seen that he had withdrawn from Miami. Then he wrote back," the 17-year-old told TV 2 Sport . Djokovic's (approximate) answer: "Hello Holger, yes, we can do it."
The two world number one are no strangers to each other: Rune was Djokovic's training partner at the 2019 ATP Finals in London.
Rune raves about Djokovic: "hits so cleanly"
It will be exciting to train on clay with Djokovic, said Rune. "I know he plays a lot of stops, I have to move well."
Rune wants to train in Monaco because sand courts are not yet open in Denmark. In the south he then wants to play a few Challenger tournaments, the first in Marbella next week. A preparation with Djokovic? Can only be helpful here.
Rune is hoping for some training sets, wants to see if he can take a set from Djokovic. In general, he wants to learn a lot from the top players. "I've had some experience at this level now and I know the difference isn't that big either. There are some small things, some decisions that you make in different situations, but I think I can at least play with him." Djokovic hits the ball so cleanly, "that's crazy," said Rune, currently ranked 317 in the ATP ranking. "He has such a good meeting place, hardly makes any mistakes, so it's just cool to train with him. You get a good rhythm."