Holger Rune on Djokovic: A lesson for the young tennis generation

Holger Rune, one of the emerging talents in tennis, recognizes the value of the experiences that the new generation of players through Novak Djokovic receives. In an interview on the “Advantage Connors” podcast, hosted by tennis legend Jimmy Connors, Rune spoke about Djokovic’s unrivaled standards and his influence on young players like himself.

Rune, who is already being traded as a potential successor to the “Big Three” – Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer – continues to see Djokovic as the man to beat. Despite the absence of Federer and Nadal, both of whom had to step back for different reasons, Djokovic dominated the season with victories at the Australian Open, Roland Garros, the US Open and the ATP Finals.

“Novak still wins three out of four Grand Slams this year. So we can’t say he’s gone because we have to beat him not just once but every time,” Rune explained.

The challenge and potential of the new generation

For Rune and his peers, including Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, Djokovic is not just a rival but also a benchmark against which to measure their own abilities.

“I actually like that Novak is still here because it’s really helpful for us young players to see what the real world is, what the real deal is”said Rune. He emphasizes that the experience of competing against players like Roger, Rafa or Novak is essential for the development of the young generation.

Rune also sees great potential for men’s tennis in the rivalry between him, Alcaraz and Sinner. “It’s really cool for the sport, really great to have this rivalry between the three of us.

We had the generation of Roger, Rafa, Novak, Murray, but I think for the growth of the sport it’s really amazing to have this group of players who can dominate the tour,” he added.

The challenge for Rune and his peers is to raise the level and overcome the dominance of a player like Djokovic. Her ambition and talent could take men’s tennis into a new era where the next generation takes up the torch.