Holger Rune recently took down a sports network for amplifying a remark that he made regarding Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer in 2021.
Rune broke into the top echelons of tennis in 2022, winning his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title at Paris-Bercy. The Dane has since established himself as an elite player, which has led to an increase in the media's coverage of him.
The week after a Major tournament can be lacking in buzz, forcing many news outlets to refurbish old quotes for engagement. Holger Rune took the brunt of the above phenomenon on Friday, February 2, when Eurosport took to their social media to post some of the 20-year-old's quotes from three years ago.
In their original post, the European sports channel shared the World No. 7's past assertions about Novak Djokovic being more cordial with the younger generation than Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
"Djokovic has told me many good things. It's funny because it's always Federer and Nadal that are mentioned as the good guys but in terms of the future generations, I think Djokovic is the most giving," Holger Rune had said in 2021.
Rune replied to Eursport's post a few minutes later, rhetorically asking them whether it was a slow news day back at their headquarters.
"Something I Said in 2021, low on news @eurosport??" the Dane wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Holger Rune is right about Novak Djokovic, who recently admitted he has a great relationship with younger players
Novak Djokovic, meanwhile, admitted during his 2024 Australian Open campaign that he shares better camaraderie with the younger generation than he did with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in his own youth.
"I am really enjoying the rivalries I have with all those guys. Alcaraz, Medvedev, Sinner, everybody near the top I get along with quite nicely," Djokovic said during a press conference in Melbourne. "If I were to compare my relationship with them to the one I had with Federer and Nadal, the relationship with my younger fellow players is much better, nicer. I enjoy it."
The 36-year-old also never misses a beat at praising Holger Rune. Last year, the Serb claimed that he and the Dane had similar playing styles following their Paris-Bercy quarterfinal encounter.
"We have kind of similar game, we both move well, defend well and kind of all-round players. He's been, I think, playing much better in the last few weeks, ever since he started working with Boris," Djokovic said last November. "It was strange to see Boris in the opposing box but again I knew it might happen already this week."
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