Eight-time Grand Slam champion Andre Agassi was spotted working with rising Danish star Holger Rune ahead of the Citi Open in Washington. After seven years away from coaching professional tennis, the former world No.1 has made an unexpected return to share his mindset with one of the sport’s most promising young talents.
The Partnership Between Andre Agassi and Holger Rune At Citi Open
Agassi and Rune began working together on a three-day trial basis to assess their chemistry. The American legend was seen closely observing Rune’s training sessions on Friday, July 19. This marks a significant moment for tennis as Agassi steps back into coaching after his previous stint with Novak Djokovic from 2017-2018.
A pretty legendary guy was out on the practice court working with @holgerrune2003 on Friday in Washington, D.C.
Read on to find out more.https://t.co/Dj7bi1rkAf pic.twitter.com/GREsIKPMdy— Stephanie Myles (@OpenCourt) July 19, 2025
The timing is crucial for Rune, who sits at world No.8 despite not having the best of seasons so far in 2025. The Dane’s disappointing first-round exit at Wimbledon to Nicolas Jarry highlighted his need for a fresh perspective. Despite claiming the Barcelona Open earlier this year and reaching the final in Indian Wells, Rune has failed to advance beyond the round of 16 in any Grand Slam this season.
Oh? Holger is a smart man I see. Agassi is such an underrated voice in the tennis world. https://t.co/Q2jNecVUoj
— adri | hard court merchant era (@radulenkawta) July 19, 2025
The Danish star’s coaching timeline has been concerning. After starting with childhood mentor Lars Christensen from age six, his team included Patrick Mouratoglou (multiple stints), Boris Becker, Severin Lüthi, Kenneth Carlsen, and Benjamin Ebrahimzadeh. His mother Aneke revealed that there were “ego clashes” within the coaching team during the splits with Mouratoglou.
Currently, Rune works with Kenneth Carlsen as his main coach and Lars Christensen, who rejoined the team in October 2024.
MORE: Andre Agassi Spotted Guiding One of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz’s Biggest Rivals on Court Days After Wimbledon
Tennis World Reacts to The Unexpected Collaboration
The collaboration represents more than just another coaching change. Agassi brings unmatched experience with eight Grand Slam titles and a former world No.1 ranking. According to reports, the American is present to provide a “fresh perspective” to the Rune project, working alongside Lars Christensen who remains the primary coach.
Fans shared their reactions on X (formerly Twitter) by seeing the two players together. One fan was totally surprised with this partnership as they wrote: “Interesting… did not see this coming at all”
Interesting… did not see this coming at all
— Adam Bradley (@adamboliver88) July 19, 2025
A fan thinks it “could be a game changer,” and added: “i’d sure love for him to fix Rune’s fitness issues lol.” Another fan reposted the viral tweet and captioned it: “Are we back?”
Are we back ? https://t.co/qqYeKJdToM
— ś (@StevieOkoye) July 19, 2025
A fan questioned “How does he get them” reflecting on Rune’s history with different coaches. A user confirmed that “Lars is still Holger’s coach,” and confirmed Agassi’s role: “Agassi is passing on his advise and he’s more like a mentor for Holger Rune.”\
Lars is still Holger’s coach. Agassi is passing on his advise and he’s more like a mentor for Holger Rune https://t.co/TtRIldfKd3
— holgerrune.elodie (@holgerrunelodie) July 19, 2025
A fan doubted their partnership by writing: “Interesting and surprising but I don’t see it happening in the long run”
