Tennis can be a brutal sport at times! Do you remember the 2009 AO final? After an epic 4-hour and 23-minute 5-setter, Rafa triumphed, leaving Roger Federer in tears. The Swiss maestro struggled to finish his speech as Mirka watched, heartbroken! The scenes were no different at the Indian Wells this Sunday. After a dream run in the California desert, the young Dane Holger Rune fell short in the summit clash, and he couldn’t help but break down in tears as he remembered his loved ones back home.
As the BNP Paribas Open’s last match unfolded, the 14th seed Jack Draper wasted no time making his mark, breaking Rune’s serve early to seize control of the match. His dominant serve and razor-sharp returns set the tempo for the Brit as he cruised through the first set, making a bold statement with his commanding performance.
Rune, a fierce competitor who had bested Draper at the Cincinnati Masters last year, couldn’t rediscover that magic, falling 2-6, 2-6 at the end. And, right after the heartbreak, in the emotional trophy presentation, his thoughts turned to those who stood by him through every triumph and heartbreak: his family.
A visibly heartbroken Dane fought back tears as he wrapped up his speech, pausing just moments before breaking down. With a deep sense of gratitude, he talked about his loved ones, saying, “I also want to say thanks to my family back home. They mean everything to me.” The crowd cheered, understanding what Rune was going through and embracing his moment of vulnerability.
Holger Rune gets emotional during his speech after losing to Jack Draper in Indian Wells final:
*crowd cheers*
*Holger starts to get emotional*
“I also want to say thanks to my family back home. They mean everything to me.”
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) March 16, 2025
Rune’s path to the Indian Wells final was nothing short of impressive, highlighted by a commanding victory over Daniil Medvedev, 7-5, 6-4 in the semifinals. Reaching a Masters 1000 final for the fourth time, Rune has already proven his immense potential. With a Paris Masters title to his name and deep runs in top-tier tournaments like ending three majors at QF, his career trajectory remains exceptionally promising.
Though this loss stings, it serves as another stepping stone in Rune’s pursuit of greatness. After the loss, the Dane reflected on what proved to be a crucial turning point in the final against Draper.
“Could have done my part better,” Holger Rune opens up after the disappointing loss
While Holger Rune took pride in reaching his second ATP Masters 1000 final, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he left opportunities on the table in the shocking one-sided clash in the final. Acknowledging Draper’s well-earned 6-2, 6-2 triumph in their second H2H encounter, the 12th seed expressed disappointment about his own approach. Rune also admitted that he should have been more aggressive, lamenting missed chances that could have turned the tide in his favor in the desert heat.
“I think I could have done my part better. Like the opportunities I had to play aggressive just weren’t good enough. I think it’s a matter of fact that I haven’t committed — I mean, I have been playing well in this tournament, been playing tactically very wisely — but I haven’t played, like, fully committed to my aggressive game still,” the 21-year-old said.
Though he fell short in the BNP Paribas Open, the experience served as a reminder of his ability to rise to the occasion in the biggest stages. Despite missing out on a return to the top 10 in the rankings for the first time since last April, Rune remains optimistic. “That’s always a good feeling to feel like you can do stuff better, and still I reached the finals,” he further added.
With the second leg of the Sunshine Double ahead, Rune must be determined to bounce back stronger and go a step ahead to clinch the title in Miami. Can he do it?
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