Podcast Summary: Holger Rune on Achilles Rehab, Scouting the Top Players, & More | Served with Andy Roddick

Podcast: Served with Andy Roddick
Episode Date: January 13, 2026
Host: Andy Roddick (Host 1), Mike (Host 2)
Guest: Holger Rune

Episode Overview

This episode of Served features an in-depth, high-energy conversation between Andy Roddick, his co-host Mike, and special guest Holger Rune, a top-ranked ATP player. The discussion covers Holger's Achilles injury and rehab, mental strategies during recovery, tour scheduling mistakes, handling public opinion, and Rune’s unique game-by-game scouting of top ATP players. The show offers compelling, first-person insight into the physical and psychological complexities of professional tennis, with Holger’s honest reflections and Andy’s erstwhile player perspective creating a candid, layered conversation.

Key Discussion Points

1. Current Events & Tour Rundown ([00:44]–[06:16])

• The hosts discuss the excitement of the new tennis season, quick takeaways from United Cup, and recent ATP/WTA results (Coco Gauff, Belinda Bencic, Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Bublik, Svitolina, Musetti’s rise).
• Praise for tournament variety and the unusual stat of Medvedev’s 22 titles in 22 different cities ([02:48]).
• Brief, lighthearted banter about the podcast's new scoring system for draw analysis, with Andy playfully incredulous about being kept in the dark ([06:16]–[08:07]).

2. Holger Rune on Achilles Injury and Rehabilitation

Starts: [08:07]

Injury Status & Mental Health

• Rune describes initial devastation after the Achilles injury in October, the uncertainty of diagnosis, and immediate focus on recovery ([08:28]):

  "Obviously really devastated when it happened... got it kind of checked immediately... worst things that could happen for my Achilles. But now I’m doing much better. Doing a lot of rehab. Doing great mentally, honestly."

• Holger credits his team, family, and friends for support and notes he’s sharing his rehab journey publicly to connect with fans ([09:41]).

Approach to Recovery & Goal Setting

• New technique: Rune now sets detailed 7–10 day recovery goals, which he says he might adopt for healthy playing as well ([11:51]):

  "Every week or every 10 days we put up, okay, I need to be able to do this in 10 days. So that kind of keeps me a little excited." – Holger Rune ([11:01])

• Recovery progress is individualized; he’s following all medical advice strictly and isn’t rushing his return ([10:40], [11:01]).

3. Lessons Learned: Managing Schedule, Mindset, and the "Power of No"

Deep Dive: [12:05]–[20:17]

Burnout & Scheduling Errors

• Holger admits he overcommitted in 2025 (Davis Cup, Laver Cup, Tokyo, Shanghai, Stockholm) without respecting physical limits ([14:17]):

  "I did feel tired in Stockholm... I was not recovered and I was very fatigued... I need to just accept and understand my body a little bit better because in the end I would rather be playing Australia right now than sitting at my desk here." – Holger ([15:38])

Saying No & Learning From Failure

• Roddick and Rune discuss the "power of no" amid pressures from team, sponsors, and self-expectation, referencing Federer and Nadal’s willingness to take time off ([16:05]–[20:17]):

  "I think in the future, if I feel like small things... to be more cautious on how we approach this." – Holger ([18:22]) "No one ever gets that right, you know, if you were 4 or 6 in October of 2008. No one ever gets that right..." – Roddick ([19:10])

4. Watching and Analyzing Tennis—A Fan and Competitor’s Perspective

[20:17]–[23:20]

• Holger is a genuine tennis fan, watches major matches for both enjoyment and technical analysis ([20:59]):

  "I love to watch tennis... second thing also comes into my mind, what can they do that I cannot do?" – Holger ([20:59])

• He studies top contemporaries (Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner) for discipline, tactical developments, and decision-making.

5. Navigating Motivation, Public Perception & Media Narratives

[23:20]–[28:34]

• Holger on the dual effect of rivals’ success—motivation and frustration:

  "It’s both motivating, and it can also be frustrating… I just try to focus on my own path." – Holger ([23:20])

• Discusses his difficult period after reaching career-high ranking and dealing with external opinions and coaching changes:

  "When you become high on the ranking... it’s a different way of living." – Holger ([24:06])

• On managing public/media expectations and brutal headlines, he tries to focus on trusted voices, especially from former players ([26:32], [27:36]).

6. Tennis Nerd Deep Dive: Scouting Top Players

Run-through of ATP Elite — Holger’s Insights
[34:57]–[61:44]
(Formatting: Player – Key Observations / Tactics / What Makes Them Special / Personal Anecdotes)

Casper Ruud ([35:11])

• "Casper’s ball, especially his forehand, is very heavy. And on clay, it’s pretty brutal... my goal was really to catch his backhand... try to play closer to the baseline, but that’s tough also in clay."
• Practiced hundreds of backhands before defeating Ruud in Barcelona.

Ben Shelton ([38:02])

• "Great serve... I decided to keep my position and step in on every serve... to not give him space."
• Stresses attacking his backhand and using aggression.

Taylor Fritz ([39:16])

• "He never leaves the baseline... very good ball control on his records... brilliant timing."
• Strategy: Make Fritz uncomfortable with slices and drop shots, “be the unorthodox player.”

Alexander Bublik ([40:39])

• "Very natural serve, unpredictable on every shot... When I play him, I try to play as boring as possible—just practice-style cross-court rallies to take away his joy in improvising."

Alex de Minaur ([42:19])

• "Maximizes everything in his game... bulletproof mindset... very flat shots, somewhat awkward to hit."
• Personal anecdote: Beat him in 2024 Paris by serving slower due to back spasm, which proved ironically effective.

Lorenzo Musetti ([44:57])

• "All-around player, one of the best defenders, great hand skills... angles really well."
• Try to "rush him," force big swing errors, approach the net when he’s defending with slices.

Zverev vs Medvedev ([47:02])

• Zverev: Huge serve, flat backhand, prefers baseline rallies, susceptible to being moved forward by slice.
• Medvedev: Master at “teaching you to go for big shots and loves when you make unforced errors.”

  "The worst kind of rally you can get into is the backhand cross."
  Holger uses serve-and-volley and high, off-pace shots to disrupt Medvedev. "Sometimes, you know, when you play the other guy’s game, it can make them uncomfortable..."

Carlos Alcaraz ([52:04])

• "His attitude, his energy—you feel it, the 'vamos'—very intimidating in a good way."
• Serve is underrated, provides “so much rotation,” and sets up aggressive plus-one forehands.

  "When I played him in Barcelona, I started playing much more conservative, much more boring. Less is more."

Jannik Sinner ([57:14])

• "Always stepping in, never holding back. Plays really aggressive and disciplined tennis, always commits on the shot."
• Recalls Sinner’s insane training discipline: "He was training every day, four hours a day, so disciplined..."
• On Sinner’s evolution: "He just got better in everything... serves better, returns better, but it’s not like he learned something new."

Novak Djokovic ([61:44])

• "He’s incredible, especially what he’s doing at this age is phenomenal."
• Explains Djokovic’s focus on percentage play, discipline, intensity.

  "What is incredible with Novak is how much percentage he plays, and how much being disciplined can award you..."

• Notes Djokovic’s late-career improvements in serve and forehand, technical efficiency, return remains best ever.

  "He’s serving better now than he ever has." ([64:38])

• On subtleties:

  "It’s his ability to switch directions safely. To find the pattern he wants consistently." – Roddick ([67:04])

7. Generational Arguments and Tennis “Twitter Beef”

Segment: ([71:30]–[78:42])

• Brief discussion of public sparring between Patrick Mouratoglou and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga about the merits of tennis generations.
• Roddick pushes back on dismissing careers like Tsonga’s:

  "As a coach, I think it’s dangerous to discredit a career like that flippantly."

• Ultimately, both hosts acknowledge that generational debates are inevitable, but respect for past and present players is essential.

8. Closing Thoughts

Host Reflection: ([68:57]–[71:30])

• Hosts express admiration for the openness of the new generation and how candid conversations like Holger’s elevate the understanding of tennis fans.
• Roddick finishes by noting that simplification and trusting base skills may be the next step for Rune’s on-court evolution:

  "It’s almost as if he feels like he has to do something extraordinary. Where I’m going, dude, your base setting beats 97% of Earth most of the time."

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• On Rehab & Mental Health:
  “Thanks for having me. First of all... things are going really well, actually... I’ve been very privileged to have all my team around me and all my family and friends to support me to make life a little bit easier off the tour.”
  – Holger Rune ([08:44])

• On Overplaying & Learning: "What I did, you know, with playing Davis Cup, Laver Cup, Tokyo, Shanghai, Stockholm... it’s way too much and it’s everywhere in the world. But, you know, again, when you’re feeling good, I’m young, I want to play..."
  – Holger Rune ([15:01])

• On Public Scrutiny:
  "The headlines are very straightforward and very brutal sometimes... but, you know, when you’re the player and you’re in that situation, you know why it happened and how it happened... it can be a lot different than how, you know, the newspaper or whatever reads it.”
  – Holger Rune ([26:32])

• On Sinner’s Evolution:
  "He just got better in everything... When I played him in Australia last year, I realized how much this—always stepping in when there’s a chance, never holding back. He’d rather miss a few shots by stepping in than waiting for the ball to drop and play with you."
  – Holger Rune ([59:25])

• On Djokovic:
  "For me, what is incredible with Novak is how much percentage his play and how much being disciplined can award you in the right way."
  – Holger Rune ([62:24])

• Openness in the New Generation:
  "You all seem so open and honest with where you’re at at any given moment in your careers. Why?"
  – Andy Roddick ([60:16])

  "I think what those two [Carlos & Jannik] are doing so well is that they are so open because it makes them have a chance to always keep improving… if you just stay the same, someone else is going to overtake you."
  – Holger Rune ([60:31])

Final Reflections

This episode delivers a unique masterclass in tennis mindset and tactics, blending Andy Roddick’s humor and player wisdom with Holger Rune’s raw honesty and technical insight. Their conversation goes beyond surface-level discussions, addressing injury rehabilitation, the psychological grind of tour life, and the tangible, intricate experience of facing the game’s elite. Aspiring players and tennis fans alike gain an inside look at the ongoing evolution of tennis, both on the court and in the minds of its next generation stars.