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Serena Williams’ ex-coach Rennae Stubbs and Holger Rune recently dismissed rumors of their potential coaching partnership; the latter additionally addressed her previous remarks about the Dane being “punchable.”
Rune recently parted ways with his coaches Boris Becker and Severin Luthi after his 2024 Australian Open second-round loss. The abrupt split created a buzz in the tennis world.
At the time, Stubbs, who has also coached former World No. 1 Karolina Pliskova, joined in by seemingly offering to coach him.
"@holgerrune2003 I have some time up my sleeve," Stubbs wrote on X.
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However, with the rumors of their potential partnership gaining traction, Serena Williams’ former coach clarified that the claims were falsely made, suggesting that her previous comments were not to be taken seriously.
"I have been sent this by MANY people asking “is this true?” No it’s not! I don’t know who put this out but you’re a bunch of [clowns] to do so with zero proof. My god!" she said calling out a post made by FirstSportz.
"Maybe take down the big REVEALED headline! this is the most misleading headline & tweet & u are trying to tell me, see the?" she added.
Rune, too, responded to Stubbs about the claim made in the post. The Dane maintained a deferential approach.
"Yes many confronted me too about this let them talk. Much too few female coaches on tour though," Holger Rune wrote.
After Rune’s diplomatic take, tennis fans reminded him that Stubbs had previously called him “punchable” for his on-court antics. In response, the Aussie coach acknowledged her remarks and stood by them. She added that the Dane has since “improved tremendously.”
"Yep. I 100% said it & he would probably agree there have been times in his past where he has been punchable with his on court stuff! I would also say it’s one area that he has improved on tremendously over the past 12 months. I’m sure someone told him that 2. See how it works," she wrote.
Holger Rune to have former tennis player Kenneth Carlsen as part of regular team
Holger Rune called off his coaching partnership with Boris Becker and Roger Federer’s ex-coach Severin Luthi just months after adding them to his team. Becker and Luthi had joined the former World No. 4’s camp after he parted ways with Serena Williams’ ex-coach Patrick Mouratoglou and his childhood coach Lars Christensen following the 2023 US Open.
However, when Rune commenced his 2024 campaign at the Brisbane International, Boris Becker and Severin Luthi were conspicuous by their absence. The 20-year-old was instead accompanied by former Danish player Kenneth Carlsen, who was enlisted as his temporary coach.
Rune recently announced that Carlsen would be a part of his regular team going forward.
"Kenneth and I know each other very well from back in the day. It's great to have him by my side and he's a permanent part of my team now. So I'm really happy about that. He has good corrections, he is a good coach, I think. He understands me well as a person and as a player," Holger Rune recently told TV 2 Sport in Rotterdam.
Rune is currently contesting the ATP 500 in Rotterdam. He will face Russia’s Roman Safiullin in the opening round on Wednesday, February 14.
