Key Takeaways
- Holger Rune was granted a wild card to compete at the European Open Brussels from October 19 to 25.
- The Dane has lost his opening ATP Tour matches in Tokyo and Shanghai since returning from an 11-month Achilles injury absence.
- Rune aims to accumulate competitive matches in Belgium to establish form ahead of his 2027 preparations.
Wild card entry offers fresh start in Belgium
Holger Rune has been granted a main-draw wild card into the European Open Brussels, giving the Danish player another chance to capture his first victory on the ATP Tour following a long rehabilitation process. The ATP 250 event runs from October 19 to 25 and includes competitors such as Casper Ruud, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Arthur Fils and Jiri Lehecka.
Rune suffered a severe Achilles injury during the Stockholm Open semifinals in October 2025, which required surgical repair and sidelined him for nearly 11 months. Although his ranking fell significantly during the layoff, he returned to competition in September by winning both of his Davis Cup rubbers for Denmark against Bulgaria, defeating Iliyan Radulov and Grigor Dimitrov.
Struggles on the main tour
Despite his early Davis Cup success, Rune has found tour-level matches more difficult. In his comeback appearance on the ATP Tour in Tokyo, he was eliminated in the first round by Kyrian Jacquet. He subsequently traveled to Shanghai, where he took the first set against Daniel Altmaier before suffering a 6-1, 6-7(5), 4-6 defeat.
Regarding the invitation to play in Brussels, Rune shared his appreciation for the backing he has received across the tennis community. “I am very happy about this opportunity. There is no doubt that I need to play matches after a year away. I am grateful to see so many people in the sport looking for ways to help me and contribute to my return,” Rune stated.
Building towards the upcoming season
The former world No. 4 is focusing on gathering match play and physical endurance rather than rapid ranking recovery. While competing in Shanghai, Rune emphasized that his primary goal was to establish a solid rhythm on court ahead of his winter preparations for Australia and the 2027 season, prioritizing health and competitive reps before the end of the year.
Holger Rune in 2026
Now ranked no.195, Rune played his last match on the 7th of October when he was overcome by world no.67 Daniel Altmaier 1-6 7-6(5) 6-4 in the 1st round in Shanghai (draw).
Currently, during this year the Dane achieved an overall 2-2 win-loss record.
