"I don't hire people just to sit there" - Holger Rune on initial split with Patrick Mouratoglou and rehiring of Frenchman after mental frustration

Holger Rune has shed light on his sudden split with coach Patrick Mouratoglou, stating that the Frenchman wasn't the right fit for him.

In October 2022, Rune announced that he was working with renowned tennis coach Mouratoglou, who had worked with Grand Slam champions like Serena Williams and Simona Halep in the past. The Dane then triumphed in Stockholm and won his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title in Paris.

But in April of the following year, the pair said that they would stop working together.

“Holger! We've successfully completed our mission and ended up having an incredible 6-month adventure, exceeding our original plan of 3 months. It was a pleasure to share this journey with you,” Mouratoglou said in a social media post.

However, during the claycourt season just weeks later, Mouratoglou was seen assisting the Danish player again. In the latest season of Netflix's Break Point, Rune shed light on the reason behind his initial split with the French coach, stating:

"It's been difficult, with the coaching situation. The people I hire, they have to help me. Sometimes I am thinking 'Why are you here actually?' I don't hire people just to sit there. So it's also like a question of 'Are you doing your job good enough?' And ofcourse, it's my fault at the end but I didn't feel like Partick's the right thing for me at the moment."

The 20-year-old then admitted that he reached out to Mouratoglou after getting mentally frustrated and stressed out.

"It's been very frustrating for me because I was off, mentally. More closer you get to the tournament, that's more stress you get. And I think it's important that you have somebody that can build you up with confidence and control, like your emotions and stuff. And that's what I need during my tournaments," he said.

"I called Patrick. I wasn't sure it was the right thing to say goodbye. I still felt he had something to teach me on the court and in life," he added.

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Patrick Mouratoglou and Holger Rune split for good in August 2023

Holger Rune celebrates with Patrick Mouratoglou after winning the 2022 Paris Masters.

Patrick Mouratoglou and Holger Rune's partnership eventually came to an end in August 2023.

After Rune's shock opening-round exit at the US Open, Rune's mother Aneke announced that her son had parted ways with the French coach. She told Danish media outlet BT:

"Holger is not going to use Patrick, I can confirm that. It was always planned as temporary. But when there was success at the end of 2022, we continued in Australia. Unfortunately without the same success."

In October, it was announced that Rune had hired former World No. 1 Boris Becker to be his new coach.