"Roger Federer was my childhood idol; Great to have a bit of him" - Holger Rune on having Swiss' ex-coach Severin Luthi in his box at Australian Open

Holger Rune kickstarted his 2024 Australian Open with a victory over Yoshihito Nishioka in the opening round.

Both players began by winning a set each before Rune dug deep to claim the third set in a tiebreak. He did not let go of the momentum, closing the match 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4 in his favor in 3 hour 29 minutes.

This is the first Grand Slam for the Dane with tennis legend Roger Federer's former coach Severin Luthi in his team. Luthi coached Federer from 2007 until the latter's retirement in 2022. He joined Rune's coaching team, which included Boris Becker, in December last year.

In a post-match on-court interview, Rune was asked how he felt about having the 20-time Grand Slam champion's former coach present in his player's box.

The 20-year-old replied that having Luthi in his corner made him feel he had 'a little bit' of his childhood idol with him.

"It's amazing. Roger was my childhood idol so it's great to have a little bit of him in my team," Rune said.

Rune will next square off against Arthur Cazaux in the second round of the Australian Open.

Holger Rune advances to R2 of Australian Open

Holger Rune at the 2024 Australian Open

Holger Rune will continue his run at the 2024 Australian Open with a second-round clash against French wildcard Arthur Cazaux. After overcoming Yoshihito Nishioka in the opening round, the Dane spoke of the tough conditions at the Australian Major in his on-court interview.

"It's tough but it's always exciting to start the first round," he said. "The conditions were hot and dry, so it was difficult to find the right pace. The ball was fast. But again, it was great to start with a match like this."

Rune also spoke of his mindset while playing against the Japanese, particularly in the crucial third set.

"It was a very important set. It was back and forth. He had his chances, I had my chances. It was a key set for who got the lead in the match. I'm happy that I got it but I was going to fight anyway. I'm just happy to play some very good tennis at the end," he added.

Meanwhile, French wildcard Arthur Cazaux will come into the match after a five-set battle against Laslo Djere in the opening round. The 21-year-old has won an ATP Challenger Tour 100 title in Noumea.

This will be the first on-court encounter between the two players.