“Who is more flexible?”-Novak Djokovic & Holger Rune keep their Monte-Carlo tradition alive, indulge in friendly banter

Novak Djokovic, the current World No. 1, and Holger Rune have once again joined forces for a training session in preparation for the upcoming Monte-Carlo Masters. This has become somewhat of a tradition for the pair, as they frequently train together in the city.

Djokovic’s last tournament appearance was at Indian Wells, where he suffered a surprising defeat in the third round at the hands of up-and-coming Italian player Luca Nardi. Meanwhile, Rune made it to the quarterfinals in that event, but then had a disappointing early exit in the Miami Open.

As the hardcourt season winds down, the focus of the tennis world will shift to the claycourts. Djokovic and Rune recently posted on social media, showing them practicing together at the Rolex Monte Carlo Masters.

The pair took part in a flexibility workout during their training session in Monte-Carlo and shared jovial Easter greetings with their followers through posts on their individual Instagram profiles.

We keep the traditions. Opening practice at Rolex Monte Carlo Masters with Novak Djokovic. Happy Easter, who is the most flexible? 😂

The snaps showcased the 4-year dynamic between Rune and Djokovic, during which Rune has been honing his flexibility with guidance from the World No. 1. In addition to their strong overall skill set, both players are renowned for their exceptional agility on the court. Rune expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to learn from Djokovic and reflected on their progress during each year of their practice sessions.

“Always learn from the best (in March 2021),”Holger Rune said

“The journey continues (in April 2023),”he added

“Keeping up with the traditions (current in April 2024),”Holger Rune said

Despite facing each other five times on the main tour, Djokovic remains ahead in their head-to-head battle with a 3-2 record against Rune. However, Rune secured a victory in their most recent meeting at the Monte Carlo Masters last year. It will be intriguing to observe Djokovic’s performance during the upcoming clay court swing, especially after a lackluster start to the season.

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During the clay-court swing, Novak Djokovic will need to defend 2315 points, and he is also the reigning champion of the French Open.

Despite his early exits in last year’s Monte Carlo Masters and Srpska Open, Djokovic faces a challenge in defending a significant number of points during the clay season due to his victory at the French Open.

In addition to the Serb, Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune will also be facing a significant number of points to defend in the coming months. Rune won the Munich Open and was a finalist in Monte Carlo and Rome, while Alcaraz reached the semifinals of the French Open and won titles in Madrid and Barcelona. The Dane will need to defend 1855 points, while the Spaniard will be defending 2265 points.

The upcoming Rolex Monte Carlo Masters will showcase the top players on tour, with Andrey Rublev returning as the defending champion.