"The combination makes things click" - Holger Rune's coach discusses addition of Serena Williams' ex-coach Patrick Mouratoglou to the team

Holger Rune’s long-time coach Lars Christensen recently discussed the addition of Serena Williams’ ex-coach Patrick Mouratoglou to the Dane’s coaching team.

During the ATP Tennis Radio podcast, Christensen, who has been with the World No. 11 since he was seven, stated that Mouratoglou’s inclusion was beneficial as he brought in a lot of experience, having coached Serena Williams for a decade.

“Patrick comes in with a lot of experience on this level,” he said.

“It's important to have a team around you that you can trust and a team around you who are mature enough to go on the roller coaster but can guide you in a good way. I mean, that’s also a good thing Patrick is bringing in because he’s been in this game for ten years with Serena, so he knows everything about it and can guide Holger and can guide his mother.”

The Danish coach also disclosed his equation with Mouratoglou over the years, suggesting that the two get along well and while he himself handles the technical part, Patrick Mouratoglou is excellent at reading the player and conveying the needful from a personal aspect.

“I’ve been talking to Patrick over the years about different issues and we’ve always agreed, you know, on the way we’re going and I think what Patrick is bringing in is a second voice to say what I am trying to get through. But, from another angle, you know, Patrick is very good at feeling where the player is at the moment and if there is like, small little adjustments that he can do, more as a person I would say,” he said.

“Tennis-wise, he has his own way of saying things, you know. We agree on what should be the work done, we agree on what’s the issue at certain part of the game and I will say it my way, he will say it in his way. And sometimes the combination of those two makes things click easily,” Lars Christensen added.

Holger Rune featured in four ATP finals after Patrick Mouratoglou’s inclusion to the team

Holger Rune and Patrick Mouratoglou after the Paris Masters trimph

Holger Rune, who was a regular at Patrick Mouratoglou’s academy, welcomed the French coach to his team in October. Since the renowned coach’s addition, Holger Rune was able to turn the corner, having witnessed below par showings during the grass and outdoor hard-court seasons.

The 19-year-old beat defending champion Novak Djokovic to win his maiden Masters 1000 title at the Paris Masters and collected another title at the Stockholm Open to add to his first ATP title earned at the 2022 Bavarian International. He also featured in the finals of the Sofia Open and the Swiss Indoors Basel.