Holger Rune earned a notable victory in the fourth round in Indian Wells. The Dane faced an in-form Stefanos Tsitsipas and earned a 6-4, 6-4 win in an hour and 28 minutes. The young Dane was happy with his level.
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He also played one of the best points of the tournament while saving a break point in the eighth game of the second set. Tsitsipas' lob landed right on the baseline, and Rune had only one option to prolong the point.
The 21-year-old embraced a tweener that flew over his opponent and caused an error, helping him to deny a break point. Describing his crafty shot, Holger admitted he thought he did it in Roger Federer's style.
Whileit turned out to be below's the Swiss Maestro's level, it was one of the finest tweeners Holger has ever hit.
Stefanos and Holger played five points before the rain sent them off the court for 50 minutes. They returned and finished the match without more interruptions. The younger player outplayed his rival in the pivotal moments and brought the win home in straight sets.
Rune served well and saved five of six break points. He stole 43% of the return points and generated three breaks from five opportunities. The 21-year-old had the upper hand from the baseline, in service winners and at the net, emerging at the top as a deserved winner.
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Tsitsipas saved two break points in the third game of the duel before facing more issues at 3-3. Rune landed a forehand winner for a break and a 4-3 lead. The Greek responded with a forehand winner in the next one, pulling the break back and locking the result at 4-4.
Holger kept his composure and provided another break in game nine with a forehand winner. The Dane held in game ten for 6-4 in 45 minutes. They reached 2-2 in the second set before Tsitsipas experienced a setback.
He missed a 40-15 lead and missed a volley at the net to drop serve and fall a set and a break behind. Rune closed the sixth game with a backhand winner before offering his rival two break chances two games later.
Holger saved the first with a mentioned tweener and erased the second to get out of jail and move 5-3 up. The Dane served for the win at 5-4 and held at love, moving over the top and reaching the quarter-final.
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"I think it felt better on the court, but it also looked good on the phone. I thought I looked like Roger Federer when I hit it, but that was not the case. That was disappointing as it definitely looked better from my perspective. That was such an important moment.
Stefanos' lob clicked on the baseline and I thought what to do next. The first instinct was to hit the tweener. I tried to make it, but I did not think it will land in. It turned out to be one of the best tweeners I hit in my life," Holger Rune said.
