Holger Rune takes Wawrinka spat to social media, Stan warns of ‘locker room reputation’

TENNIS CHANNEL LIVE: Andy Roddick on Holger Rune vs. Stan Wawrinka.

By now, real tennis heads know that if you’re not following Holger Rune on social media, you’re only getting half the story!

As expected, Rune took to Twitter in the early morning hours that followed an emotional week at the BNP Paribas Open, losing both in doubles with Ben Shelton and in a contentious singles encounter with Stan Wawrinka, who had previously referred to the Danish teen as a “baby” following their Rolex Paris Masters clash.

Rune seemingly reignited the feud on Monday when he asked Wawrinka if the three-time Grand Slam champion had anything to say after winning, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5, and later debated fans commenting about the incident online.

Despite the warning on Instagram, Rune went head-to-head with several critics on Twitter, several of whom took issue with his attitude on court.

Rune addressed the vitriol in another reply, echoing a young Serena Williams when he suggested it effectively came from a lack of formal education.

“No one dares to stand out,” said the 19-year-old, who has certainly been on tennis fans’ radars since reaching his first Grand Slam quarterfinal and defeating Novak Djokovic to win his first Masters 1000 title in Paris-Bercy. “So I think a good start would be to block or erase. Not just in sports but clearly a massive problem in schools also.”

The world No. 8 got a much-needed boost from friend Nick Kyrgios, who shouted Rune out on Instagram:

“Yeah, all good when you win,” said Kyrgios, who has had his own issues with Wawrinka in the past. “@Holgerrune with you my brother.”

Wawrinka answered the controversy after the match, telling French press that despite his obvious potential, “[Rune] is making a reputation that he will regret,” though later had a laugh at some of the tweets Rune was liking on Twitter.

We may not get a Rune-Wawrinka rematch for a few weeks, but thanks to the wonders of modern technology, this story can add unlimited chapters in the meantime.