By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, October 21, 2025
Photo credit: TennisTV Screenshot
The pro circuit isn’t athletic cinema, but the punishing calendar has turned the ATP into a horror show for some players, says Aneke Rune.
In a new interview with B.T.’s David Klecker, Aneke Rune, mother and manager of Holger Rune, ripped the ATP’s mandatory tournament requirements days after her son suffered a horrific Achilles tear.
Top-seeded Holger Rune was leading Ugo Humbert 6-4, 2-2 when he ruptured his Achilles tendon in the Stockholm semifinals on Saturday.
Not the ending anybody wanted 😔
Humbert progresses to the final as Rune retires due to injury at 6-4 2-2#BNPParibasNordicOpen pic.twitter.com/ptMV9ZkC4S
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 18, 2025
“I think I broke it,” an emotional Rune told the trainer, who came out to provide treatment to the Dane. Holger Rune said he will undergo surgery to repair the torn Achilles and will be sidelined several months.
Aneke Rune took aim at the ATP in the aftermath of her son’s devastating injury.
“There have simply been too many mandatory tournaments. Tournaments that players are obliged to participate in, and where they are severely punished financially by not playing them all,” Aneke Rune told B.T. “The players simply don’t get time to recover properly throughout the season.
“What could have been a week off with light training and recharging is now a hectic tournament week with matches every other day, while there are mandatory media events for every single tournament. There is no rest – neither physically nor mentally.”
Holger Rune said in a social media post it’s “unbearable” to contemplate how long he may be sidelined.
“It’s gonna be a while before I can step on court again,” Rune said on Instagram. “It’s tough. I had so much joy on court in Stockholm and it’s unbearable to think that I will not feel this energy for some time now.”
Aneke Rune said the ATP calendar takes a cumulative toll on players putting their health at risk.
“We also have to build on it throughout a whole season,” Aneke Rune said. “Training weeks must be included where you can work physically and optimize the game as well as prevent injuries.
“It’s a lot for the body. For ordinary, healthy, well-trained bodies, it is almost impossible to stand sharp in everything that is expected of tennis players over a year.”
