As he continues his rehabilitation from a serious ankle injury, Holger Rune has taken time to reflect on how far he has come.
More importantly, the 22-year-old revealed how far he still believes he can go, dreaming about the ATP throne after his recovery.
At such a young age, the Dane is already a Masters 1000 winner and a top-4 player - achieving milestones many competitors never could. That includes his remarkable run at the 2022 Paris Masters following five straight top-10 triumphs!
In the title match, Holger prevailed over the ultimate Paris Masters champion, Novak Djokovic, announcing his arrival onto the big scene. Rune became world no. 4 next year, but he was not completely happy with his game.
While acknowledging the progress he has made as a player and professional, Holger remains driven by ambition that predates his career and sends up back to when he was six.
Competing on the biggest stages and living the life he once imagined is fine. However, he wants to climb to the very top and challenge the world's most dominant players, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
In Holger's honest assessment, anything short of taking the ATP throne would feel incomplete. Despite the setback that will keep him away from the court for months, the Dane is eager to return stronger and more powerful.
This mindset has been a recurring theme in discussions with his team during his recovery process in Doha. The injury has increased his hunger and sharpened his focus, making him aware of his abilities when he competes injury-free.
For the young gun, his current position is far from ideal, but it's only a checkpoint on a much longer and brighter journey. His return plan has a clear purpose - to chase the childhood dream and fulfill his potential.
No one should doubt Rune's hunger and desire to overcome the biggest setback of his career and return where he belongs. And not only that, as he wants to leave everyone behind and become world no. 1.
"My childhood dream was to become the best player in the world. That dream is still alive and has not yet come true. I'm certainly playing in the tournaments I wanted to play in, I'm living the life I always dreamed of, but I want more.
I'm not satisfied with what I have accomplished. I'm proud of many of the improvements I have made along the way, and so on. But I have discussed this at length with my team. If you asked me, like a six-year-old, 'Would you be happy if this were the end?'
I would answer, 'No, not at all, I wouldn't be happy,'" Holger Rune said.
