Danish tennis star Holger Rune has not quite lived up to his potential this year. The 20-year-old has seen a sudden downswing in his career, and his performances have been below par. But Rune came out in support of his girlfriend Caroline Donzella, who has been on the receiving end of hate.
Holger has failed to win back-to-back matches across seven different tournaments. Rune has crashed out of most tournaments in the opening rounds, and his outing in China was no different. The Dane was last seen at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where Brandon Nakashima defeated him in the first round.
Rune’s recent string of failures has invited a lot of criticism from fans and pundits alike. Many have blamed Caroline for his poor performances of late. However, Rune broke his silence on this matter, as he strongly defended his girlfriend from baseless accusations. “Caroline is not to blame for my poor sports performance,” said Holger.
Holger Rune says his girlfriend is not to blame for his poor results:
“Caroline is not to blame for my poor sports performance. That is only my responsibility. People only want to look for external factors & blame others, but only I am responsible.”
Blaming women for their… pic.twitter.com/qi7dWKxGze
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) October 19, 2023
Unfortunately, this behavior is nothing new in the world of sports, and Holger is not alone in it. Holger’s sister too opened up about the online abuse the family has received and threatened to take legal action.
Rune and Caroline have been together for a while, and he confirmed their relationship with a post on social media. However, Holger made it very clear that his failures have no correlation with his relationship.
Holger Rune will rue the chances he squandered away in the recent tournaments. The last time he made it past the opening rounds was at Wimbledon. He had reached the quarterfinals, but Carlos Alcaraz had got the better of him.
Aneke Rune, mother of Holger Rune, opens up about her son
Holger shares a special bond with Aneke, as she is not just his mother but his manager too. Aneke recently appeared on the ATP Tennis Radio Podcast, where she spoke on a variety of subjects. She also touched upon the importance of having someone to talk to as a player.
Aneke also spoke of being honest with Holger. She felt that it would help him in the long run. “When he comes to me and asks for an honest opinion, he always gets it honest,” she said (via Tennis Upto Date).
Rune’s mom, Aneke, says Holger tells her ‘whatever is on his heart’ & highlights the importance of having someone you can trust:
“When he comes to me & asks for an honest opinion, he always gets it honest. It’s easier to be honest when you’re a parent because… you can hate your… pic.twitter.com/E3nkK5yFSL
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) October 19, 2023
Holger Rune was last seen at the Stockholm Open and will play at the Paris Masters next. He is the defending champion, and one of the favorites for the Nitto ATP Finals later this year.