Holger Rune has acknowledged the growing depth in men’s tennis following his surprise defeat to world No. 204 Valentin Vacherot at the Shanghai Masters. The Danish player, ranked No. 11, was one of several top seeds to fall early in the tournament, highlighting the increasing unpredictability on the ATP Tour.

“What we saw in Shanghai speaks for itself. So many great players out there,”

Rune said.

His comments came during the Stockholm Open, where he addressed the challenges of facing opponents outside the top 100.

The Challenge of Unfamiliar Opponents

Rune explained that matches against lesser-known players can be more difficult than expected due to the lack of familiarity with their style and patterns. Unlike established ATP stars, emerging players often bring unconventional tactics and require quick adaptation.

“Facing someone who isn’t in the Top 100 can be difficult because you don’t know their game and it takes time to adapt,” Rune said. “Happy that I wasn’t the only one losing to Vacherot in Shanghai.”

Vacherot’s run to the semifinals was historic, making him the second-lowest ranked player to reach that stage in a Masters 1000 event. His physicality and composure under pressure caught many by surprise.

A More Competitive Landscape

Rune’s reflections underscore a broader shift in men’s tennis, where rankings no longer guarantee victory. With more players capable of producing high-level performances, adaptability and preparation have become essential.

The Shanghai Masters served as a reminder that depth and unpredictability are now defining features of the ATP Tour.

ATP Stockholm - Holger Rune's projected path

Rune in Stockholm, ranking, and results in 2025

Ranked world no.

11, Holger has achieved an overall 35-21 win-loss record in 2025. The Dane is playing at the moment in Stockholm where he defeated the world no.55 Marton Fucsovics 6-4 6-4.

Holger Rune will take on the world no.63 Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the quarter on Friday at 2:30 pm on CENTRE COURT. Their current record is 2-1 for Rune.

Rune has won 1 title in 2025 in Barcelona. The Dane was the finalist in Indian Wells (BNP Paribas Open).

Rune won 5 titles in his career: 3 on clay courts and 2 on indoor courts. (See the list of his titles)

Valentin Vacherot in 2025

At the moment ranked no.40 (career-high), the Monegasque played his last match on the 12^th of October when he beat world no.28 Arthur Rinderknech 4-6 6-3 6-3 in the final in Shanghai to win his 1^st career title.

Presently, during this year Vacherot owns a compiled 42-22 record. This year, the Monegasque lifted the trophy in Shanghai. Valentin got to the final in the Francavilla Challenger.

He is also scheduled to play in Basel (Swiss Indoors Basel) on the 20th of October and Athens (Hellenic Championship) on the 2nd of November.

Holger Rune and Valentin Vacherot clashed against each other just once. Their actual record is 1-0 for Vacherot.