Rune ends Tsitsipas' winning streak, reaches ninth Masters 1000 QF in Indian Wells

Holger Rune produced his best performance of the season on Tuesday at the BNP Paribas Open, where he overcame Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-4 in the fourth round to snap the Greek’s seven-match winning streak.

The Dane played aggressive, proactive tennis throughout the 90-minute clash in Indian Wells to pour cold water on Tsitsipas’ recent resurgence. The 21-year-old opened his shoulders to strike 22 winners, while he produced one of the shots of the season to crucially save a break point in the second set.

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Rune is into his ninth Masters 1000 quarter-final, with his best result at this level a title run in Paris in 2022 when he was just 19. Having reached the same stage in Indian Wells last year, the 12th seed is the first Scandinavian since Stefan Edberg in 1994-95 to advance to consecutive quarter-finals in the California desert.

"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’s upturn in form comes after an inconsistent start to the year. The World No. 13 reached the fourth round at the Australian Open but struggled in February, failing to record consecutive wins at tour-level events in Rotterdam, Buenos Aires and Acapulco.

After defeating Frenchmen Corentin Moutet and Ugo Humbert in his opening two matches, the 21-year-old further reminded everyone what he was capable of against Tsitsipas to improve to 4-0 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

Tsitsipas entered the match having held serve 42 times in a row. However, Rune quickly found success on the Greek’s delivery. He earned the opening break of the first set when Tsitsipas decided to leave the ball at the net. Instead of hitting a high backhand volley, the Greek pulled his racquet away and Rune’s forehand pass dropped in.

Tsitsipas responded immediately with an inside-out forehand winner before Rune broke again with a forehand winner. The 21-year-old then held serve to cap a dramatic four-game period on Stadium 1.

Rune kept up the aggression in the second set and found a number of stunning passes in the match. He produced two in the space of four points on the Tsitsipas serve at 2-2 in the second set to gain the crucial break.

The 21-year-old then hit one of the shots of the season to save a break point at 4-3, 15/40. After Rune approached the net, Tsitsipas chucked up a lob. Rune scampered to the baseline and instinctively hit a tweener lob that was inch perfect. Tsitsipas was unable to retrieve and Rune went onto hold serve.

"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.

"I have had good success against him the past but that didn't mean it would [happen again]. I really took charge of the points and was really committed to my game."

Tsitsipas lifted the trophy at the ATP 500 event in Dubai earlier this month to return to the Top 10 and looked good in straight-set wins against Thiago Seyboth Wild and Matteo Berrettini in California.

After earning his 16th Top 10 win and first on an outdoor hard court, Rune will aim to continue his run when he meets Tallon Griekspoor in the last eight.

Earlier, Tallon Griekspoor overcame Japanese qualifier Yosuke Watanuki and the rain to reach his first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final.

In a rain-disrupted clash, Griekspoor earned a 7-6(4), 6-1 win to become the first Dutchman to advance to the last eight at a Masters 1000 since Robin Haase in Toronto in 2018.

Griekspoor captured the biggest win of his career in the second round when he upset No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings Alexander Zverev. Griekspoor has been in red-hot form in recent weeks, having also advanced to the semi-finals in Dubai.