“Sometimes you have to pay the price” – Holger Rune’s coach Patrick Mouratoglou jokes after being obliterated by Dane during fun practice drills

Patrick Mouratoglou, coach of Holger Rune, recently shared a comical glimpse into their enjoyable on-court training exercises, showcasing the Dane’s strong competitive drive to tennis fans.

During the latter part of the 2022 season, Mouratoglou, who previously coached Serena Williams and Simona Halep, began working with Holger Rune. With his mentorship, the Dane has achieved three out of his four titles, including the 2022 Paris Masters.

Despite their separation after Rune’s loss in the first round of the 2023 US Open, the 20-year-old decided to reunite with Mouratoglou for his 2024 Acapulco campaign in February, after unsuccessful coaching periods with Boris Becker and Severin Luthi, the former coach of Roger Federer.

During practice, Patrick Mouratoglou showed how he incorporates fun into intense training sessions for his players in between tournaments. A video captured the French coach doing push ups after being defeated by Rune, playfully referencing the “price”he had to pay for going up against such a strong opponent.

“This is what you get when you play against Holger,”Patrick Mouratoglou joked on Instagram.

“Mini games are often part of a good practice sessions, for many reasons I’ve already explained in my videos. @holgerrune is a tremendous competitor at these and sometimes you have to pay the price for it,”Patrick Mouratoglou added.

Holger Rune Reflects on Early Exit at 2024 Miami Open: “Hindsight, I Should’ve Withdrawn”

Despite starting his 2024 season with a strong performance and a runner-up finish at the Brisbane International, Holger Rune has faced some setbacks. He was unexpectedly defeated by Arthur Cazaux in the second round of the Australian Open, and although he made it to the semifinals at the ATP 250 in Montpellier, he was eliminated in the second round in Rotterdam.

With the support of Patrick Mouratoglou, Rune was able to reach the semifinals at the ATP 500 in Acapulco, followed by his first-ever Indian Wells quarterfinal only a few days later.

Despite being ranked No. 7 in the world, he failed to leave a lasting impression at the ongoing Miami Open. Despite receiving a first-round bye, he suffered a crushing 1-6, 1-6 defeat in the second round at the hands of eventual quarterfinalist Fabian Marozsan.

Contemplating his unusual defeat, Rune remarked:

“I knew I wasn’t feeling 100% well but I didn’t imagine my energy level would be so low. Looking back, I should’ve pulled out. But it’s always difficult because I had been preparing and wanting to play for a week,”Rune wrote on X.

Holger Rune is set to begin his claycourt season at the Monte-Carlo Masters [April 6-14], with hopes of maintaining his second-place finish from the previous year.