Rune On The Rise: #NextGenATP Dane Named 2022 Newcomer Of The Year

Even with the on-court action wrapped for 2022, Holger Rune’s prodigious talent continues to be recognised. The 19-year-old Dane has been named Newcomer of the Year in the 2022 ATP Awards after a standout season that saw him claim three ATP Tour titles and reach the Top 10 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the first time.

“I’m super happy that I’ve been awarded with Newcomer of the Year, this means a lot,” said Rune. “I’ve worked very hard the whole year to do as good as possible, and it’s really nice to see that my colleagues [voted for] me, so it means a lot. I just can’t wait for 2023, and it’s going to be hopefully another great year.” 

Can’t wait to see what 2023 has in store 🤩 @holgerrune2003 | #ATPAwards pic.twitter.com/3KKu4Zyt8Q

— ATP Tour (@atptour) December 13, 2022

Two red-hot streaks of form defined a stunning 2022 season for Rune.

If a string of top-quality wins during the European clay-court season were a sign that the Dane had the game to compete with the very best on Tour, his late-season charge on indoor hard courts proved his ability to convert those attributes into title-winning performances against the very best in the world.

Rune lifted his maiden ATP Tour title at the BMW Open by American Express in Munich in May, just two days after turning 19, before upsetting Stefanos Tsitsipas en route to his maiden Grand Slam quarter-final at Roland Garros. The Dane then responded to a moderate run of mid-year results like a seasoned pro, claiming two further titles while winning 19 of his final 21 matches of the year.

That sublime run included championship match appearances in Sofia and Basel, and Rune defeated World No. 5 Tsitsipas in straight sets to win the Stockholm Open. He capped off his year with the biggest title of his career, battling past Novak Djokovic in a thrilling Rolex Paris Masters final to break into the Top 10 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the first time.

“I’m feeling lovely to be honest, it’s the best feeling,” said Rune after his run to his maiden ATP Masters 1000 crown in Paris, where he defeated five Top 10 opponents in a row. “If you told me four weeks ago, I would be Top 10… I would be like ‘What, sorry?’ Now I’m here and I’m super proud.”

Jack Draper, Jiri Lehecka, Ben Shelton and Chun-Hsin Tseng were also nominated in the Newcomer of the Year category, as #NextGenATP player who entered the Top 100 for the first time in 2022.