NEW DELHI: Holger Rune delivered one of the most jaw-dropping moments of Indian Wells 2025 on Tuesday, hitting a between-the-legs winner to save break point en route to a straight-sets victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas. But as thrilled as the crowd was, Rune was just as excited — at least until he saw the replay.
“You know, I kind of had the expectation that I looked like Roger Federer when I hit it, and I didn’t quite do that,” Rune said with a laugh after his 6-4, 6-4 win. “So that was disappointing.”
The 21-year-old Dane’s flashy shot wasn’t just for show — it helped him knock off the world No. 9 and book a spot in the Indian Wells quarterfinals for the second consecutive year.
It also marked Rune’s first quarterfinal appearance of 2025, a year that hasn’t quite lived up to expectations for the former world No. 4.
After bursting onto the scene in 2022 with a memorable win over Novak Djokovic at the Paris Masters, Rune has struggled to maintain consistency, slipping to 13th in the rankings while contemporaries like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner continue to climb.
Still, Rune is staying focused, emphasising growth over frustration.
“It’s about making results, but at the same time improving your game and having stability,” he said. “Because I don’t believe I have become the worse player the last two years. I actually think the opposite. I think I have become a better all-around player.”
He admits falling short of expectations can sting. “You know, when you have these expectations and you don’t quite, like, live up to them, of course it’s disappointing,” he said.
“But it’s very basic and maybe it’s very boring to say it, but I just love tennis.
“So even not being satisfied with my results, I still love to go down to the practice court and hit forehands, backhands, work on my shots, my physicality … I think I’m living my dream.”
