“He hits shots that other guys don’t hit,” Sam Querrey once exclaimed after facing the royalty of tennis, Roger Federer, at Wimbledon 2015. And why was the American left in awe? Well, picture this: at 4-2 in the second set, Federer initially overran the ball on Querrey’s serve, but in a moment of pure genius, the Swiss stopped, placed his racket between his legs, and executed a perfect lob over Querrey’s head. It was Federer’s magic at its finest on the Grass. Fast forward a decade, and the Danish sensation Holger Rune found himself in a déjà vu moment, pulling off a similar shot that left both his opponent and himself stunned. While the Danish couldn’t quite believe it, he admitted he could only hope to perfect a lob like the Swiss icon. 

On Tuesday at the Indian Wells, Holger Rune delivered a moment of pure tennis brilliance against the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas. Leading by a set and a break, the Danish ace found himself under pressure at 3-4 in the second set, with Tsitsipas eager to claw his way back into the match. But just when the Greek looked poised to shift momentum, Rune pulled off a jaw-dropping tweener lob: a bold, instinctive shot that stunned Tsitsipas and left the crowd gasping.

That stroke of genius not only saved a crucial break point for Rune but also set the tone for the Danish to hold serve and seal a commanding 6-4, 6-4 victory just two games later. After the match, the 12th seed couldn’t help but reflect on the magic of that moment, shedding light on the shot that stole the spotlight.

“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. So that was disappointing,” Rune said in the post-match interview.

For Roger Federer, some would say science took a backseat to sheer magic. From his gravity-defying backhands to feather-light touches that seem to stop time itself, the Swiss icon gifted the world countless moments that defied logic. But if there’s one shot Federer turned into an art form, it’s the lob: a weapon of elegance that left both opponents and fans in awe on several occasions.

Who could forget his audacious tweener lob in Dubai or the smash lob that left the now 24-time GS winner Novak Djokovic stunned at the 2008 US Open? And then, of course, there’s the 2010 US Open masterpiece against Brian Dabul where Federer, chasing down a lob, sprinted towards the back wall of the iconic Arthur Ashe Stadium, and, with his back to the net, pulled off a through-the-legs winner that sent the crowd into a frenzy. Dabul could only raise his eyebrows in disbelief as Roger, arms aloft, simply pointed to the sky.

“It’s rare that it happens. So when it does, you have to pull it off. I even had a bit of time – I had to shuffle my feet to get in position. But if you don’t win the point, you do look a bit silly,” Roger said in 2015 about his lob shots. 

Coming back to Rune, well, he didn’t just pull off a Federer special in the Indian Wells; the World No. 13 also secured a place in the quarterfinals with a straight-set victory over Tsitsipas.

“Stayed very committed,” Rune opened up after his match against Tsitsipas

Holger Rune’s dazzling tweener lob wasn’t just a highlight-reel shot, it marked a crucial breakthrough for the Dane, who finally notched his first QF appearance of 2025: a season that, so far, hasn’t quite matched his expectations.

After announcing himself to the world with a stunning victory over the Serb maestro Novak Djokovic at the 2022 Paris Masters, Rune has struggled to find consistency. Meanwhile, his rivals, the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz and the Italian Jannik Sinner, have continued their meteoric rise. However, with his signature fire and newfound momentum, Rune looks determined to rewrite his 2025 story, starting 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. 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.” 

After securing his 16th top-10 win against Tsitsipas, and his first on outdoor hard courts, the Danish star now sets his sights on Tallon Griekspoor in the QF. Griekspoor, fresh off a rain-delayed win over Yosuke Watanuki, is making his first ATP Masters 1000 QF appearance. Can Rune rise to the challenge and punch his ticket to the semifinals this time?