French Open: Holger Rune ‘needs a bit of that Kyrgios’, says Mats Wilander after slow start against Casper Ruud
Holger Rune “needs mayhem” to produce his best tennis, according to Eurosport expert Mats Wilander.
“When you look at how he played and how we behaved, I would agree, 100%,” began Wilander.
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“I don’t know if we can ever expect him to be a hundred percent committed professionally, emotionally, physically from the beginning of every match. I just don’t think that’s his personality.
“I think he needs mayhem, he needs a little bit of that Nick Kyrgios, and he didn’t have that.
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“He was flat and I think it’s a learning lesson for him, but again I don’t know if he has the energy to be because he’s so fired up in a way – but not with his tennis racquet in his hand.”
“I would have expected him [Rune] to get a little more fired up early in the second set,” Wilander continued.
“I mean, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but maybe start talking to his box, start screaming at his box, start finding people in the stands, just to do something.
“Eventually though he started actually, I think, getting a bit irritated with the other side of the stadium which is where Casper Ruud’s box is, and I think he was using that.
“He needs something. I think that’s going to be his strength, but it’s also going to be a weakness in certain situations.”
Rune whips up crowd after securing first break against Ruud to threaten comeback
The level of performance shown by Rune surprised Tim Henman, who claimed the Dane “didn’t have a game plan”.
“He had 15-40 in Ruud’s first service game and you thought ‘ok, here’s a good opportunity’. And then once Ruud held serve, it was bizarre, it was just one-way traffic,” Henman said.
“Rune was not really timing the ball, he was making all sorts of unforced errors. He looked like, mentally, he just didn’t have a game plan.
“I think sometimes you can play badly and it takes you time to find your form, you know, maybe after a set then you get going.
“But in such a big match for such a good player – yes, he’s young, he’s not massively experienced – but you know, for those first two sets to be 6-1 6-2, I think was a massive surprise to everyone.”
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