"He made it personal" - Holger Rune claims US Open opponent got in his face during heated 1R battle to 'fuel' his win

Holger Rune recently made a claim about Botic van de Zandschulp getting in his face during their clash at the US Open 2025. The tournament is currently underway at the Arthur Ashe Stadium and will conclude on September 8, 2025.

Rune opened his US Open campaign on August 25, where he squared off against Zandschulp and went on to dominate the round with his impressive skills. The Danish player dashed his opponent's hopes of claiming the US Open's title by claiming a 6-3, 7-6(4), 7-6(2) win.

Amid this match, a heated exchange took place between the two players, where the Dutch player got into Rune's face with a fist pump. Following this clash, the latter sat for a post-match press conference, where he opened up about his face-off with his opponent and how the latter's behavior fueled him to win.

“He made it a little bit personal. He made a fist pump right in my face so I know how he behaves when he’s a little bit stressed so it’s okay. I’m not afraid of that, I just turned it into fuel," said Holger Rune.

Rune will next be seen competing in the second round of the US Open against Jan-Lennard Struff.

Holger Rune opened up about being mentored by Andre Agassi at the Citi Open

Holger Rune recently spoke to Tennis.com, where he opened up about being mentored by the tennis legend Andre Agassi. Making his feelings known about their partnership, he said that he sees the game in a unique way. Commending the former player's skills, the Dane said that he is helping him reach higher rankings.

“I reached out to him some months ago. He’s an amazing man, first of all, and he’s very wise, as well. He sees the game in a unique way that I’ve never experienced before. So I thought when I reached out to him, he would be a good guy to get some mentoring from. Right now, I’m No. 8 in the world, and anything that can help me get higher in the rankings, I’m happy to hear and listen," said Holger Rune.

Further talking about the wise words of Agassi that would help him during his game, he said:

“I thought now was a good moment to reach out to Agassi because my base is back and I’m playing well again. When you’re changing coaches a lot, you don’t play as well because you’re not following one opinion or a single structure. I thought this was the right time to get some extra input. It’s not anything magic, but he obviously had some very wise words I can use.”

Holger Rune opened his 2025 season by competing at the Brisbane International, where he faced an early exit in the first round against Jiri Lehecka.

About the author

An English Honors graduate, Nancy is a journalist at Sportskeeda covering US Olympic sports. She has a total experience of 4 years, having previously worked as a Marketing Executive for BYJU’S before finding her footing at SK.

To deliver the best content, Nancy keeps herself updated by reading as much as possible about the athletes and the sport, and believes that researching and trusting credible sources is the key to reporting ethical and accurate information.

Track and Field events particularly interest Nancy, and she is a fan of Allyson Felix. While she cherished each of her victories, her favorite Olympic moment happens to be the retired athlete’s 10th medal at the Games.

Nancy believes that covering the personal lives and training sessions of the Olympic athletes, and showcasing old podcasts or interviews would help bridge the coverage gap of the sport in its off season.

When away from her keyboard, Nancy spends most of her free time reading books. She also writes poems and plans on publishing a book.

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Edited by Mitali