In recent months, Agassi has been more involved with pickleball. But after commentating on the Roland Garros semi-finals and final, the eight-time Grand Slam champion unexpectedly appeared on the practice court in Washington last week, alongside Rune. This became a topic of interest when Rune spoke to the press after his opening Canadian Open victory against French player Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 7-6 (7), 6-3 on 29/7. The world number 9 admitted he had invited Agassi to be his mentor after losing to Lorenzo Musetti in the fourth round of Roland Garros.

"I was too young to see him play live. I was curious to know Agassi's perspective on my game," the world number 9 explained about the presence of his senior in his team. "In Washington, I only had three days working with him, and three days can't change the way I play, but it was interesting. We talked a lot, and I've never met anyone who sees tennis the way he does."

Agassi (center) guides Rune at the Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington, D.C. on 21/7. Photo: Mubadala Citi DC Open

Agassi (center) guides Rune at the Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington, D.C. on 21/7. Photo: Mubadala Citi DC Open

According to Rune, Agassi is still very passionate about tennis, and he considers working with the legend a privilege. "Agassi shared his vision for my future gameplay and pointed out areas for improvement. He advised me to slow down a bit to find balance," the Danish player added.

Rune has often been criticized for his unstable support team, with frequent and impulsive coaching changes. At the end of 2023, he parted ways with Boris Becker after only a few months.

But the 22-year-old is now determined to close the gap with Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, two players he believes are a cut above the rest of the tennis world. "I'm in the group that can beat them, but the goal is to face Jannik and Carlos in Grand Slam and Masters 1000 finals. I think there's still room for a third player to rise up and compete with them. This year, I've had good weeks and bad weeks, so now I'm trying to change."

In recent years, Rune has often had fitness issues. Now he wants to address this limitation by working with Marco Panichi, the renowned fitness expert who has worked with Novak Djokovic and Sinner, at the upcoming Cincinnati tournament.

"I'll never know my potential if I don't reach peak physical condition," Rune lamented at Roland Garros. "Earlier this year, at the Australian Open, I was surprised that despite extensive physical training, I was exhausted when I lost to Sinner 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the fourth round. I have to change that."

Compiled by Ha Phuong