"Rune is a very good player who is still very young, who is the same age as Alcaraz, noted the Frenchman. Of course, we talk about it less."

While the Spaniard panics the counters and collects Nadal's precocity records, Rune, also 19, makes his way, step by step.

Zverev's heartthrob in Munich

Entering the year 2021 at 474th in the world, he is already 40th after important milestones reached in recent weeks: a first ATP title in Munich at the start of the month – the first for a Dane since Kenneth Carlsen in 2005 – and in passing a victory in two sets against the world No.3 Alexander Zverev.

Reference shared with “Carlitos” Alcaraz, who brought down the German in Madrid… after crunching N.1 Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, then N.4.

Neither giant is on Holger Rune's hunting board.

But this tall blond (1.88m) caught the eye by stealing the second set from Djokovic during their face-to-face at the US Open in September, the Dane's first Grand Slam tournament.

No, "Holgy" is not at the level of Alcaraz, whom he knows "very well" for having "faced him ten times in juniors", he counted.

The native of Gentofte, in the suburbs of Copenhagen, has set himself measured objectives in 2022: to enter the top 25 and win an ATP 250 tournament before May, he specified in the off-season to the Cracked podcast.

Danish prodigy Holger Rune, 19, wins his first title on May 1, 2022 in Munich Christof STACHE AFP / Archives

With his title on May 1 in Munich and his assured rise to the gates of the top 30 after his two rounds in Paris, he is on the right track.

Especially if it continues its route on the ocher of the Porte d'Auteuil where it has some references.

Dampen my love

Ex-N.1 world junior, the Danish land won the 2019 edition of Roland-Garros in the category.

"I like the conditions, delivered 'Holgy'. I almost feel at home playing here".

Denis Shapovalov, world No.15, and Henri Laaksonen, each swept in three sets and no more than two hours, can testify to this, as to his shared love for drop shots.

"It's always been a shot that I appreciate a lot. (Carlos Alcaraz) too, I think. I really like doing it, especially on the backhand side. (...) It's good, especially here on clay when the opponents are far behind the line. It allows you to vary and not just hit full power like many players do. (...) It's also more fun to watch."

Holger Rune performs a drop shot against the Swiss Henri Laaksonen at Roland-Garros, May 26, 2022 Christophe ARCHAMBAULT AFP

This touch of the ball, Rune has always had it, listening to Lars Christensen, his lifelong coach, the one at the club where he hit his first balls at six years old.

He described in December to the ATP a teenager "technically finer than most players" but not a hard worker: "He did not move well enough, he says. I decided that we had to develop much more his physique and his agility. He really hated it because he was lazy."

An old story, "he is very emotional, very competitive too and very, very fast", he now depicts.

Holger Rune during his victory over Alexander Zverev at the Munich tournament, April 27, 2022 Christof STACHE AFP / Archives

The temperament of the Dane, the highest ranked in ATP history, could serve him.

For his third round, he will leave the tranquility of court 12 for the French furia of Central in evening session mode, fully behind Hugo Gaston.

Conditions which, at Bercy this fall, had allowed the little Toulousain to blow his nose in two sets against a certain Carlos Alcaraz.

© 2022 AFP