Denmark’s Holger Rune advanced to a tournament’s quarterfinals for the first time this year, beating Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-4 on Tuesday in the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif.
Rune, seeded 12th in the Southern California desert, had made it past the second round in just one of his previous five tournament this season.
He fell in the fourth round of the Australian Open to eventual champion Jannik Sinner of Italy.
On Tuesday, Rune put 71 percent of his first serves in play and won 30 of those 41 points (73 percent).
He also saved 5 of 6 break points while breaking the serve of Tsitsipas, the eighth seed, on 3 of 5 opportunities.
“I think it was an extremely good match from my side from start to finish,” Rune said. “I stayed very committed on my game plan and mentally I was very good. I think that made the difference, how composed I could start because Stef is back in shape, I think it is fair to say. It was a cool battle.”
Rune also pulled off a spectacular shot sure to rank among the year’s best.
With Rune at the net, Tsitsipas lifted a lob deep into Rune’s court.
Rune race back to retrieve the ball, the hit a lob between hit legs.
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The ball went over an onrushing Tsitsipas, who went back and got his racket on it but could get his shot over the net.
“The tweener is the first thing I am going to check when I check my phone. That was better than I expected,” Rune said.
“I think my returning was very good and I focused on my court positioning because when you give Stef too much space on the forehand he is very dangerous. I had to really take control of the point.”
Next up for Rune is a match against the Netherlands’ Tallon Griekspoor, who beat Japanese qualifier Yosuke Watanuki 7-6 (4), 6-1.
The match lasted just 1 hour, 26 minutes officially but was delayed by rain.
In the evening, 20th-seeded Arthur Fils of France eliminated the United States’ Marcos Giron 6-2, 2-6, 6-3, and fifth-seeded Daniil Medvedev of Russia blitzed 10th-seeded Tommy Paul of the United States 6-4, 6-0.
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