SAD NEWS: Tennis star Holger Rune has announced his deperture because of.

Holger Rune is not shy about his aspirations. The Danish tennis player has stated from the beginning of his career that he wants to be the best.

The 20-year-old stated to the ATP in Denmark earlier this year, “My ambition is to be No. 1 in the world and win Grand Slams.”

Many participants are reluctant to discuss such ambitious objectives. Rune has advanced too far and worked too hard, though.

Rune has devoted every fiber of his existence to achieving his ambitions in tennis, since it is his life. The results of his labor were evident on Championship Sunday at the Rolex Paris Masters in November of last year.

The Dane faced the all-time great Novak Djokovic across the net after winning four matches against Top 10 opponents in a span of four days. Rune felt anxious, but he was also more determined than scared. The Dane overcame Djokovic in three sets, 6-3, 7-5, to win the ATP Masters 1000 title.

In fact, everything seemed surreal. It was an intensely sentimental time,” Rune remarked. “I finished first in Basel, won the title in Stockholm, and finally triumphed in Paris.” That’s why my run and travel were so lengthy. And it was a huge relief, you know. After the final, I started crying a little bit since it was so much work. And in the end, I overcame it and prevailed.

I simply had to express everything. Furthermore, playing Novak in this final—I mean, it just can’t get any bigger. That was very significant to me.

It was evidence that Rune’s lifetime of work was beginning to pay off.

At the age of three, Rune started playing tennis in Denmark by playing in his family’s garden with a ball. Holger’s parents, Anders and Aneke, were aware that he was more skilled with a racquet than other children of his age.

Anders remarked, “But it doesn’t mean that you think he can become a professional tennis player.” You naturally have faith in your children. However, you can tell that it’s becoming more and more real as it goes along.

Rune’s willingness to put his goal of becoming a professional tennis player into action was a major component of that process. He played football as a child as well, but there was something unique about being in charge of his own fate on the tennis court. Being a member of a team had its benefits, but even if he performed flawlessly, the team could still fall short.

Rune’s four-year-old sister Alma was a tennis player. So a sibling would be a superior opponent?

Aneke remembered that “Alma was the one who was the best in tennis.” But every weekend he would go to her room first thing in the morning and say, ‘Wake up, Alma,’ because he wanted to get better. We need to descend and engage in some tennis.

“In Denmark, there is not a rich culture of elite tennis,” Alma clarified. They weren’t taken to a top-tier academy with the world’s top juniors. As children, they had some of their most treasured memories while competing with each other.

“She was cheating a little bit, and I was maybe cheating a little bit since we were so competitive,” Rune said, implying that their parents should have served as the referee. “We all desired victory. She started earlier and played more than me, so naturally, being four years older than me, we had a great time. It was therefore very beneficial to me because I had to maintain a high standard in order to play with her.

It was soon evident that Rune had a competitive fire burning within of him, both on and off the court. The Danish athlete grew up with a poster of the greatest player in the world, generally Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer, hanging on the wall of his bedroom. He attempted to mimic the player on the court by dressing like them.

When it came time to win the title in his first event as a junior, a young Rune, dressed like the World No. 2 Nadal at the time, lost.

“His desire to win caused him to go crazy. We attempted to reassure him by saying, “It’s okay, go grab your [runner-up] trophy.” He refused to take the trophy, according to Aneke. We had to carry it home in the rear as a result. Upon entering his chamber, he commanded Rafa to be taken out. Roger was number one at the moment, and Rafa was number two. He then exclaimed, “Put up, Roger.”

All of a sudden, Rune was trying to emulate Roger Federer by sporting a Wilson racquet and polo shirt. In their cellar, the Rune Family still retains a two-meter-tall carbon cutout of the Swiss legend.

Aneke recalls, “He remarked, ‘I never want to be No. 2.'” “It’s the worst,”

Rune also had a competitive spirit off the court. The Dane always wanted to win, whether they were playing cards or anything else.

Aneke made a hammering noise and remarked, “I recall when they played chess, then all of a sudden I sounded like.” “Oh no, Holger come on! If he was behind, he was messing up,” Alma could be heard saying.

Rune was “very lazy” as a child, according to Alma, especially when it came to things like exercise. Holger enjoyed cake and “was a bit overweight.” He still does, but as he got older, the Dane dedicated himself to honing his skill under the guidance of Lars Christensen, who is still an essential part of Rune’s squad.