Remember when Andre Agassi stood in Novak Djokovic’s corner back in 2017? That brief but headline-grabbing partnership marked Agassi’s first major foray into ATP coaching. Though their run ended in 2018, Agassi reflected in a 2021 CNBC TV18 interview, “But, stepping to the side he was able to process a lot of stuff we went through together, and hopefully it made him better for it.” Fast forward seven years, and the icon is back, this time guiding rising Danish star Holger Rune as the US Open swing heats up. With the buzz growing louder, former US Open champion Andy Roddick has stepped in, making his stance on the Rune-Agassi duo crystal clear.
In the latest episode of Served, 42-year-old Andy Roddick didn’t hold back while diving into the week’s hottest headlines. Front and center was the buzz around Holger Rune linking up with tennis legend Andre Agassi. We’ve seen partnerships come and go in Rune’s camp, but this one feels different, and Roddick laid it all out. “The number one reason why I like this is because Andre doesn’t need the job,” he said. “And every other person who has kissed Holger’s a** and asked him for a job has needed that job, right?” In Roddick’s eyes, this makes space for something rare: unfiltered honesty.
He sees the timing as critical for Rune. “I think you’re going to get honest feedback at an inflection point in someone’s career who obviously has the talent, but maybe lacks the consistency that he might want.” Agassi, who’s walked both the fire and the glory, could offer Rune the mirror he needs most.
Roddick made it clear, this isn’t some long-term contract penned in stone. “I’m sure they didn’t sign a two-year deal. I’m sure it’s like, ‘Hey, let’s get some input. Let’s see if we can’t course correct. Let’s see if you know you can’t tap into my experiences,’” he said, noting that both Agassi’s triumphs and failures carry weight. “Holger is going to listen to Andre Agassi.”
Tennis – French Open – Roland Garros, Paris, France – May 30, 2022 Denmark’s Holger Rune celebrates winning his fourth round match against Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
And while Roddick isn’t predicting magic overnight, he knows one thing for sure. “Now I don’t know if it works. I don’t know whatever else, and I don’t know that that’s always been the case. Number one thing, Andre doesn’t need this job. So I think what he says will maybe land with Holger Rune a little bit more,” the American added.
(This is an emerging story…)
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