CHINA OPEN

September 27, 2023

Holger Rune

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the press conference of Holger Rune. I'll ask the first question in English.

Holger, welcome back to China. I know you are very ready about coming back and having your debut in Beijing. How is the preparation going so far?

HOLGER RUNE: It's going so well. Super happy to be back here and playing soon. I've had a good practice week so far. I have good memory from China. Last time I was in China, I won in Chengdu, the junior masters. That's definitely something I can look back and admire.

But I'm super happy to be here and excited to start.

THE MODERATOR: Questions from the floor.

Q. I heard that you have a back injury back in Laver Cup. How is that? Why do you still put the China Open in your schedule?

HOLGER RUNE: Yeah, I was struggling with back injury for a while now. I got it fixed. I played a lot of tournaments with a lot of pain in my back. But then I was like at the end, Okay, I got to stop and fix it, not come back to playing tournaments until I'm hundred percent.

That's also why I'm here. I'm ready to go and I'm excited for what's to come.

Q. You said you visited Chengdu before. Your first time to Beijing. What is your impression here? If it's possible to compare the cities, the difference? By the way, how is the arena? You practiced here in Diamond. How is the speed there?

HOLGER RUNE: Yeah, it's an unbelievable court. I think the condition is more altitude in Chengdu. Here I think it's more easy to play because it's very, very good conditions.

Yeah, I mean, I haven't seen much of the city yet, but the facilities here are amazing. There's a lot of, like, nice courts and everything.

Yeah, both are great places. Hopefully I can do as good as I did in Chengdu here.

Q. Can you talk to us about what has been working really well in the past two years? Are you a little bit, like, taking experience by getting injured because playing too much in the past couple months?

HOLGER RUNE: I think honestly my schedule was right. Yeah, maybe a few tournaments too much where I should have maybe rested. Also to be maybe more ready for the biggest tournaments. But that's the past. Now I have to look at now and forward.

And I think it's been a good progress so far. I'm trying to progress as fast as possible, every day a little bit more and more and more. That's my focus. Like 1% better every day, that's what I'm seeking for.

I'm enjoying the journey.

Q. Your ranking No. 4 now. You have a chance to make it to the ATP Finals this year. You have to defend the champion of the Paris Masters. Is there any pressure of that? What is your plan of the Chinese season?

HOLGER RUNE: Yeah, definitely one of the goal is to be able to get into Turin, the Finals, at the end of the year. And yes, I mean, I have Paris to defend, but I'm most of all looking forward to come back because I have very good memories from last year. I played definitely my best tennis there.

But yeah, again, I have good opportunities here in Beijing and Shanghai next week to do good so I can kind of relax a bit more - not relax, but not be like fully stressed for those tournaments, for points and stuff like this.

Most of all I think you can't really control all of this. You can only control your effort on the court and how you are, how much you put into it. Mainly just focus on improving because at the end of the day if I do good here or next week or next weekend, it doesn't really matter. I just have to try to improve and be hundred percent.

Q. We know that you may play mixed doubles in 2024 in Paris Olympic Games with Caroline Wozniacki. Any updated information for us? The second question is that the you ranked eighth in the ATP Final Race because yesterday Alexander Zverev just won in Chengdu and he got 250 points. Do you feel any pressure to the ATP Finals?

HOLGER RUNE: First question, it's no news from what I said last time. For sure it's going to be very exciting to play with Caroline if it's going to be possible. I think it is going to be possible.

But, yeah, always wanted to play mixed doubles with her. Hopefully we can make it happen and do a good run in the Olympics next year.

To answer your second question, good for Zverev. Congrats to him. He's been doing very well, coming back from a tough injury. I'm happy that he's doing well.

But yeah, I mean, there's still many tournaments with a lot of points included to end the season. I think I saw like even from, like, 17 or 16 in the Race still open for anybody to make it.

There is 500 points here, 1,000 next week, then 250, 500, 1,000. There is plenty of points, so I'm going to try to focus on what I do instead of what everybody else is doing.

Q. Your first-round opponent is Auger-Aliassime. What is your comment?

HOLGER RUNE: Yeah, it's going to be I think a great match. He's a tough player. He's been doing really well, especially end of last year also. He's been consistent for many years now, in the top, and he's still super young.

I'm going to have to play good. I'm going to have to put him under a lot of pressure because when he gets the time to play, he's very dangerous.

I'm going to try to play on my terms and do everything I can to win.