Holger Rune returned to action 11 months after last playing, with the Dane winning a Davis Cup rubber after his Achilles injury from last autumn.

The former world No. 4 now ranked 144, earned the Davis point at home against Bulgaria and said coming back to the courts had been a long-term struggle.

“It’s been, it’s been pretty brutal,” he said.

“Obviously a super unfortunate injury that happened 11 months ago, but we have trained a whole lot. I’ve gotten up every day and done my rehab to be able to stand here today.

“So I’m proud of myself, and this is the perfect way for me to start here in Denmark, in front of the best crowd in the world. So thank you so much for coming out and supporting.”

 Rune ruptured his left Achilles tendon in Stockholm last October and has been out ever since after surgery. 

He and his team were stuck in their Doha training base last March as the US attacked Iran, sparking the partial shutdown of flights due to the ongoing conflict. 

Main photo:- Holger Rune returns ©ATPTour.com

The WTA Finals will pitch a tent in North Carolina in late 2027 as the roving wrapup to the season settles in for a three-year-run in Charlotte.

The WTA revealed the venue on Wednesday, with the southern US due to stage three editions.

The event highlighting the top eight points finishers in singles and doubles for the season has had something of a “homeless” problem since the Covid  pandemic in 2020 when it was scrapped for that season after fulfilling only the first year of a multi-edition contract in Shenzhen, China..

This season’s conclusion will be staged at Indian Wells, the Californian venue for an ATP-WTA Masters 1000 played each March.

Fears are growing that the desert chill of a November night may mean unsuitably cold temperatures which could affect play.

The finals have been staged at five eclectic venues in the six editions since 2021:  Guadalajara, Mexico, Fort Worth, Texas, Cancun, Mexico and Riyadh, Saudi (twice).

The upcoming Indian Wells edition is just another place-holder for a Tour which is reportedly running low on corporate cash but struggles on.

The event will be played at the home of the NBAs Charlotte Hornets, from 2027-2029.

“The multi-year partnership will give the WTA greater opportunity to shape the experience and identity of one of its most important assets, deepen relationships with fans and commercial partners, and build a championship platform designed to grow alongside women’s sport,” a PR release read.

“The WTA Finals represents everything that makes women’s tennis extraordinary: the world’s best athletes, competing at the highest level, on a stage worthy of what they have accomplished,” said WTA chairwoman Valerie Camillo.

“We have an opportunity now to lead by building a championship experience that reflects just how far women’s sport has come and where it is going next.”

“We want to create the Super Bowl for women’s sports. And not just the competition, but an event that is the annual gathering for women’s tennis, women’s sports, and women’s sport business.”

Main photo: WTA Tour Finals were previously played at Shenzhen Bay Sports Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China

Jack Draper has bowed to his ugly injury reality,  announcing on Tuesday that he will end his disastrous 2026 season and aim to return for 2027.

The former British No. 1 who once touched fourth on the ATP, now stands a distant 155th and has not played a match since losing in the Cincinnati first round in August.

The 24-year-old has had no luck this season, with arm bone bruising causing constant problems and keeping him from the circuit. He managed only 15 matches this season and did not play in a single one of the four Grand Slams.

Draper spelled out his frustration in an Insta post:-

“Don’t usually love lots of words on here but I wanted to update you that I am aiming to return to the tour at the start of 2027. Last summer all the dedication and work I had put into this sport was coming together.

“It was all going my way and the path seemed so clear. However a complicated injury made things incredibly challenging and since that moment I’ve been desperately trying to get back and feel as I once did on the court. 

“Managing so much change, adversity and pain has helped me to grow massively in many areas of my life but has also made me feel a level of fatigue.

“I am taking this time to reset and heal so when I return I am 100% ready to go. Tennis is my purpose and passion and so when I step back on court I want to make sure that there’s nothing holding me back from where I want to go. 

“I really appreciate all the continued support from my sponsors and people who enjoy following my tennis and I look forward to being back on court to give it my all next year!”