"It's a joke" - Holger Rune's ex-coach Patrick Mouratoglou shares fascinating anecdote about Dane's famous wins over Novak Djokovic & Carlos Alcaraz

Holger Rune's ex-coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, shared a fascinating anecdote about the Dane's famous wins over Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic on his way to his biggest career title. The French coach believes the ceiling for Rune's potential is high.

In 2022, Rune had one of the most topsy-turvy seasons ever witnessed. After a quarterfinal exit at the French Open, he held a 2-9 record until the US Open. The young Dane lost in the first round in multiple events. However, he turned it all around after the New York Major.

Speaking about the same in an Instagram Reel, Mouratoglou said:

"He was 30 in the world (in 2022). And he comes to me and he says, “Okay, I have a 250, a 500, and a 1000 in a row. My goal is to win the three so I can play the Masters.” I mean, the guy just lost six or nine times in the first round in a row, and he thinks he’s going to win the three, and he really believes it."

Rune was exceptional in the swing following the US Open. He notched a quarterfinal and a runner-up finish in ATP 250 events before winning one in Stockholm. He finished runner-up later at the ATP 500 event in Basel before winning the Masters 1000 title in Paris.

"He won the 250, reached the final of the 500, and won the 1000, beating five Top 10 players, including Novak in the final and Alcaraz in the semis [quarters]. It's a joke," Holger Rune's ex-coach Patrick Mouratoglou added.

In Paris, in 2022, he defeated the 10th seed Hubert Hurkacz and the ninth seed Andrey Rublev in straight sets. In the quarterfinal, top seed Alcaraz retired after going down one set to the Dane. In the semis, Rune defeated eighth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in straight sets before claiming the title by knocking out Djokovic.

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Holger Rune and Patrick Mouratoglou have had three short stints working together

Holger Rune and Patrick Mouratoglou at the 2024 French Open - Source: Getty

Holger Rune first teamed up with Patrick Mouratoglou in October 2022, aiming for a short‑term push. In that span, Rune captured his inaugural Masters 1000 title at Paris by defeating Novak Djokovic.

However, by April 2023, they agreed to part ways. "We’ve had an educational and fun six months … now it’s time to move on," Rune wrote on X. They were back together a few days later and split again in September.

Their latest reunion came in February 2024 after a coaching shuffle. By July 2024, Rune and Mouratoglou once again opted to split "mutually." Rune wrote in a post on social media:

"He will always be a great friend … the best setup for me is to continue with Kenneth [Carlsen]."

Currently, Rune is being coached by Carlsen. The Dane holds a 31-19 record in 2025 and has earned one title. As of now, he is playing in Tokyo at the Japan Open. He will take on Jenson Brooksby in the quarterfinal after defeating Ethan Quinn.