"How do you know? You were not a Slam contender?"- Jimmy Connors' son on Holger Rune benefitting more from Boris Becker than from Patrick Mouratoglou

Holger Rune recently signed 7-time Major winner Boris Becker as his new coach, bringing an end to his partnership with famous coach Patrick Mouratoglou. This move was praised by Jimmy Connors' and his son Brett on their podcast "Advantage Connors".

Holger Rune, 20, had known Patrick Mouratoglou for several years before they teamed up on the ATP tour in 2022. The promising Dane won the 2022 Paris Masters and finished as the runner-up at two more ATP Masters 1000 events this year under the Frenchman's tutelage.

The duo, however, parted ways in September. Around the same time, Rune's mother, Aneke, commented on the split in the tennis media, saying:

“It just didn’t work out. Right now it is important that Holger finds the right team, that he can have for a long time. He has decided that isn’t with Patrick.”

In that context, Jimmy Connors' son Brett believes that Mouratoglou was perhaps not good enough to guide Holger Rune to the top-most echelons of the sport. The 44-year-old alluded to the Frenchman's lack of experience as a top pro compared to Becker.

He said:

"He [Becker] knows what it's like to be there, when Patrick told Rune, 'Blah blah blah blah blah', and then it didn't work, Rune is looking at him like, 'How do you know, you've never been in these situations. You definitely were not a Grand Slam contender?'"

He continued:

"Boris broke on the scene at, you know, 16, 17 years old. So he will be able to give him some insight on, 'Hey, I know what it's like to be a young guy, and have all that success and pressure come on you at such a young age.'"

Mouratoglou, on his part, never competed on the ATP tour despite having skills for the game. He founded his academy in 1996 and has coached many top players like Serena Williams, Coco Gauff, and Stefanos Tsitsipas, among some other big names.

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"I understand that there are guys who sit down and study everybody's game, stats and all that" - Jimmy Connors on Holger Rune's former coach

Holger Rune poses with Patrick Mouratoglou

During the interaction, Jimmy Connors also asserted that Boris Becker was a much better choice as a coach for Holger Rune.

Having said that, the American legend also understood why the Dane had enlisted Mouratoglou's services in the first place.

He said:

"I know that there are students of the game, I understand that there are guys who sit down and study everybody's game, stats and all that... That's all fine. There's nothing like that experience and being there yourself."

Connors added that Rune would be greatly benefitted by the 7-time Major winner's advice.

He added:

"He's going to trust him [Becker], and that everything he does is going to do good for him. And that's beyond a friend, he's a coach, a mentor, to have somebody like that in your corner is pretty amazing."

The partnership between Holger Rune and Boris Becker, meanwhile, has been fruitful in its nascent stage. The World No. 7 reached the semifinals of the 2023 Swiss Indoors Basel, losing to eventual champion Felix Auger-Aliassime in straight sets.

Rune is also looking to qualify for the 2023 ATP Finals in Turin for the first time in his career. The Dane's participation at the year-end tournament, however, depends on his results at this week's Paris Masters.