"Back injuries are very paralyzing" - Serena Williams' former coach sympathizes with Holger Rune after Cincinnati Open retirement
At the 2023 Cincinnati Open, Holger Rune suffered a huge setback in his hopes of securing his second Masters title. A lower back issue forced Rune to retire mid-match in his second-round clash against Mackenzie McDonald.
The Dane and Serena Williams' former coach Patrick Mouratoglou sympathized with the new World No. 5, who is now fighting to recover from a back injury, with the US Open just two weeks away.
During the match, Rune faced some discomfort and found it difficult to move from one end of the court to the other. After losing the first set 6-4, he asked for a medical timeout to receive treatment on his back. He finally succumbed to the pain after losing the second game of the second set, allowing McDonald a walkover into the third round.
Holger Rune's former coach Mouratoglou posted a story on Instagram, showing support for his former pupil.
He talked about the intensity of a back injury and how much it affects a player. The Frenchman added that Rune must now focus more on his recovery ahead of the US Open rather than worrying about the Cincinnati Masters, which is a thing of the past for him.
According to Mouratoglou, Holger Rune was pumped up and excited to make the most out of the ongoing ATP 1000 event. However, he withdrew from his opening match when home hope McDonald was leading 6-4, 2-0.
"Back injuries are very paralyzing," Mouratoglou wrote. "You can’t move well and feel pain every time you hit a shot. I know how it feels as I suffered from it for 6 months this year. I feel sad for @holgerrune because he was very excited to do well in @cincytennis. The positive thing is that in his case, it should heal fast. Let’s move past this and get ready for the @usopen."
How much of a rapport did Holger Rune and Patrick Mouratoglou share during their time together?
Rune and Mouratoglou shared the company of one another for six months despite the original terms of the agreement set for three months. Rune increased his intensity and gameplay after joining hands with Mouratoglou.
Under Mouratoglou's watch, the 20-year-old won the 2022 Paris Masters, his first-ever Masters title. He beat the likes of Stanislas Wawrinka, Hubert Hurkacz, Andrey Rublev, Carlos Alcaraz, Felix Auger-Aliassime, and finally Novak Djokovic in the final by 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.
Despite the association being short-lived, Mouratoglou and Rune ended their partnership on good terms, wishing each other the very best for the future. Rune continues to train at the Mouratoglou Academy with the Frenchman's staff members Mike James and Lapo Becherini.