Down 6-2, 3-0 already! Embarrassing.Holger is just awful today. Losing this one for sure. I mean, how many backhands can you net? Horrible play.
Down 6-2, 3-0 already! Embarrassing.Holger is just awful today. Losing this one for sure. I mean, how many backhands can you net? Horrible play.
His serve is just bad today. It's been pretty good the last month (and in general). His return game has also been somewhat ok recently, but today it's all gone. In general, his return game is his biggest weakness, though.I think his return has always been terrible, but am I imagining things, or did he not used to have a pretty good serve? What the hell happened to it?
Have to say that he looked much better last year. Just struggling too much to hold his serve. He used to serve well, but not lately. But Rune is still capable of turning it around, but his record against Nakashima is horrible, so unless he suddenly finds his serve it looks impossible.To think he was seeded #4 at the USO last year, LOL
Looks like Rune is going to be smashed by Nakashima again.
Don't know what is happening with Rune but main problem is that his serve is just so bad. Too few 1st serves so under pressure in his service games all the time. Also get too few returns in..Just awful in these 2 departments. Rallying OK, but that is not enough
There is something to that last sentence, I think.As a big Holger fan, I don’t agree with all your guys’ diagnoses. While he needs to improve in both the serve and return departments, it’s really not what holds him back.
His biggest issue is lack of depth on his groundstrokes which results in matches like this one vs. Nakashima today. Rune gets into these neutral rallies, and because the quality of Rune’s ball is just not up to par (shorter and less width than average) Nakashima or whoever is able to attack, and top-50 players are not going to struggle winning points when you give them the same balls they’ve been drilling since they were six years old.
Rune is an excellent scrambler and extremely athletic, which is why he seems good in rallies. But the reason he can’t construct points or impose is will is just because of the quality of his rally ball.
Yeah don't know what happened to his return game. Just get it in playHis serve is just bad today. It's been pretty good the last month (and in general). His return game has also been somewhat ok recently, but today it's all gone. In general, his return game is his biggest weakness, though.
That 15-30 point is pretty much Rune in a nutshell. Giving Nakashima short and middle balls the whole rally, Nakashima doing a good job of hitting wide and deep. Rune uses his elite athleticism and coverage to keep the point going and manages to hold on until Nakashima puts one long. But you are not going to win matches at a Grand Slam doing that every single pointThere is something to that last sentence, I think.
That is also an issue. He struggles between being too passive and hitting it short and being over aggressive and making too many errors hitting it long(probably also hitting it too flat)As a big Holger fan, I don’t agree with all your guys’ diagnoses. While he needs to improve in both the serve and return departments, it’s really not what holds him back.
His biggest issue is lack of depth on his groundstrokes which results in matches like this one vs. Nakashima today. Rune gets into these neutral rallies, and because the quality of Rune’s ball is just not up to par (shorter and less width than average) Nakashima or whoever is able to attack, and top-50 players are not going to struggle to win points when you give them the same balls they’ve been drilling since they were six years old.
Rune is an excellent scrambler and extremely athletic, which is why he seems good in rallies. But the reason he can’t construct points or impose his will is just because of the quality of his rally ball.
how did a guy like rune make it to top 10? Whenever I’ve watched him this year he’s a complete mug, getting outplayed by anyone with a bit of consistency.
Missed it! Is he one of those ridiculously hot and cold players?Did you see his win over Djokovic in Paris?
Obviously a part of it was that this year the competition on tour has been better than it was 2022 and 2023, but he really was a better player 1/1.5 years ago. I don’t know what happened to his BH, it used to be a fringe top-5 BH on tour. His forehand has always been middling (very hot and cold). Basically everything else is marginally worse now than it was then, but not drastically.how did a guy like rune make it to top 10? Whenever I’ve watched him this year he’s a complete mug, getting outplayed by anyone with a bit of consistency.
Cressy.I’ve somehow never noticed Opelka uses one kind of racquet to serve and another to return. Do any other players, or bots at least, do that?
Before each tournament they are always super optimistic and positive. Like before this tournament, that his wrist is completely healed and he is able to hit his backhand 100%. Then when he loses, something was wrong before or during the match...Holger has no length on his shots today, and he's not hitting any winners, takes no initiative in rallies. Backhand is worse than ever. He looked good in Cincy, but today he's just a pusher with a lot of UE's. His team are probably going going to come up with some lame excuse after he's lost tha match.
"Holger had something in his ear and couldn't balance".
Looks like Rune is going to be smashed by Nakashima again.
Don't know what is happening with Rune but main problem is that his serve is just so bad. Too few 1st serves so under pressure in his service games all the time. Also get too few returns in..Just awful in these 2 departments. Rallying OK, but that is not enough
Missed it! Is he one of those ridiculously hot and cold players?
Still strange. He should have won against Tiafoe in Cincinnatti, had bad luck. Looked sharp again, but it's all gone now. It's only been a week.Before each tournament they are always super optimistic and positive. Like before this tournament, that his wrist is completely healed and he is able to hit his backhand 100%. Then when he loses, something was wrong before or during the match...
Yea same here. Sad to see him go.La Monf sends off El Peque
Will miss his never-say-die spirit.
Eh, four of those were unreturned (good) first serves and another one was a pretty easy serve plus one IIRC. Bigger story is just that Nakashima has destroyed Rune from the baselineZero for six on break points is telling for Rune
#best Danish men's player of this half-decadeHolger nets 3 backhands in a row and gets broken again. This is just embarrassing.
Tbh, I haven't watched a ton of his matches but he beat Paul and Fritz this hardcourt season. He has to be playing pretty darn well. This is a tough 1st round opponent and Rune wasn't expecting this kind of level I think.What’s Nakashima’s ceiling in terms of ranking? For as poorly as Rune has played Nakashima has not exactly given him many openings. I watch Brandon in Cincy and Canada and he seems to destroy the ball but I’m not really sure I’d say he’s a future top 10 player
I don't disagree. Maybe time for him to get a grip?I think Rune thinks a bit too highly of his own game....Like he is somehow destined to win most matches against anyone...
I don't disagree. Maybe time for him to get a grip?
A babolat one!I don't disagree. Maybe time for him to get a grip?
FairwayA babolat one!
6 first serves missed in a row, a DF, and he keeps running around his FH to hit BHs even though his BH is garbage. Does this guy have 2 brain cells?