"I would’ve gone insane" - Holger Rune warned about dire consequences by WTA star as he returns to tennis court after horrific injury

Holger Rune recently shared a major injury update with fans, returning to the tennis court only four weeks after undergoing surgery for his ruptured Achilles. However, former WTA World No.20 Daria Saville has warned the Dane against the dire consequences of overdoing his rehab.

Rune injured his ankle during the Nordic Open in October. The World No.15 was leading Ugo Humbert in his semifinals clash at the event when he suddenly collapsed in pain, clutching his ankle. He subsequently withdrew from the match and tests later revealed that the tennis star had torn his Achilles at the proximal end. Rune underwent surgery soon after.

A little under four weeks after his surgery, Holger Rune shared a major injury update. In a video, the tennis star can be seen playing on the courts balancing on one leg. Reacting to this video, Daria Saville cautioned the 22-year-old against ‘rehab burnout’ writing on X,

“As someone who's been through two ACL recos and an Achilles surgery, if I'd pushed this hard this early in rehab (return to play), I would've gone insane. I do think Holger is built different tho but idk... I know rehab burnout too well.”

Holger Rune reflects on the ‘main thing’ that contributed to his devastating injury

Rune at the BMW Open (Image Source: Getty)

Holger Rune's achilles rupture sent shockwaves through the tennis world. The Dane has established himself as a rising star of the sport in recent years and his sudden injury caused concern amongst fans and players alike.

In a recent interview with ‘Hard Court’, the 22-year-old shared that he was ‘super healthy’ prior to the injury, saying,

"Honestly, I think my injury was a shock for many tennis players and athletes because I never had an issue with my ankle, and my body was super healthy. So this was not supposed to happen—this should not be possible. I’m 22 years old, I’m healthy and strong, and yet it happened.”

Rune went on to emphasize that fatigue could have played a major role in his injury, explaining,

“I don’t believe in being "unlucky" or having "bad luck" in sports. Everything happens for a reason, and there is an explanation behind everything. So the main thing that could have caused this injury is fatigue, and that is super scary for the whole sports industry.”

Holger Rune injured his Achilles tendon in late October. After undergoing surgery, the Dane’s timeline of returning to action remains unsure, but the tennis star will likely be hoping to return to the courts in the latter half of the 2026 season.

Edited by Riddhi Acharya