“My biggest blessing in life” – Holger Rune’s sister Alma wishes him on 21st birthday, shares adorable picture from childhood
Holger Rune has received a special wish from his elder sister Alma as he turned 21 years old on Monday, April 29.
Rune was notably in Spain until Sunday competing at the 2024 Madrid Open but fell in the third round. He began his effort with a tough second-round battle against Argentina's Mariano Navone on Friday after having received a bye in the first.
Navone pushed Rune on the backfoot by securing the first set but the Dane fought his way back to win the second in a tiebreaker and then claim the third to complete the comeback. The scoreline at the end read 5-7, 7-6 (2), 6-4 in the 11th seed's favor.
In the third round, he drew 24th seed Tallon Griekspoor from the Netherlands. Griekspoor also took the opening set from Rune but the latter bounced back in the second to draw level. However, the Dutchman kept his calm in the decider and secured a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win to advance.
Rune was understandably gutted to lose a day before his birthday as suggested in his post-match conversation with Danish broadcasting house TV 2 on Sunday.
"I am going back to Denmark and celebrate with the family. The plan was of course to be here, but that's how it is. I have to go back and have a good time with the family," Rune said. (translated)
Rune's sister Alma took to Instagram early on Monday, April 29, to extend her wishes to him. To begin with, she posted an adorable photograph from their childhood on her Story and wrote:
"Happiest Birthday to my biggest blessing in life"
Alma then shared another more recent picture and tagged her brother.
Holger Rune celebrated his 19th birthday on the court at BMW Open 2022
Holger Rune was notably competing on the court at the BMW Open on the day he turned 19 years old on April 29, 2022.
He played against Finland's Emil Rusuuvuori in the quarterfinals of the Munich event after downing the likes of Jiri Lehcka and Alexander Zverev in the previous rounds. He found success against Rusuuvuori too as he secured a 6-0, 6-2 victory to make his birthday more special.
After the match, tournament director Patrik Kuhnen brought Holger Rune a cake as his mother Aneke joined him in the brief celebration. The Dane was crowned the champion at the BMW Open that year as he bettered Oscar Otte in the semifinals and received a walkover against Botic van de Zandschulp in the final.