Holger Rune reaches first Indian Wells final over Daniil Medvedev

Before the start of 2025 members of our very own TENNIS.com panel asked if 2025 could be a make-or-break season for Holger Rune, a player with obvious potential but one who was falling behind Slam-winning peers like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

As of Indian Wells, the former world No. 4 looks to be back on track with a first Masters 1000 final since 2023, defeating Daniil Medvedev, 7-5, 6-4 at the BNP Paribas Open to snap a seven-match losing streak in tour semifinals.

"It means everything," Rune said after the match. "The job is not over yet, but it feels amazing, for sure. Playing Daniil is, I think, for me, one of the toughest challenges on tour. We know each other well and we've practiced a lot, so it was super difficult. I obviously had the right tactic but he still made it so difficult because he's putting in great effort and great shots, just being super solid. I'm very proud of myself."

The No. 12 seed fell as low as No. 17 in the ATP rankings last year after struggling to back up a breakthrough 18 months that featured a 2022 Masters victory over Novak Djokovic in paris and two more Masters finals in Monte Carlo and Rome. The 98-minute victory over the fifth-seeded former world No. 1 not only puts him into his first ATP final since January 2024 (Brisbane) but also on the precipice of returning to the Top 10.

Still just 21 years old, Rune posted mixed results through the first quarter of 2025, pushing eventual Australian Open champion Sinner to four sets in Melbourne but failing to win back-to-back matches in any of his other ATP appearances, arriving under the radar to Tennis Paradise.

A narrow win over No. 18 seed Ugo Humbert looked to reignite the Dane’s famed fighting spirit, and he backed up the result with a statement victory (including a sick tweener) over No. 8 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, himself fresh off a title run at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. A first win over Dutch nemesis Tallon Griekspoor booked a rematch with Medvedev, who had won their last two head-to-head meetings—most recently at this very tournament 12 months ago.

But Medvedev, too, has struggled to get going in 2025, posting solid results in February but lacking a signature result after bowing out of the Australian Open in the second round. The 2021 US Open champion scored an emotional victory over No. 20 seed Arthur Fils—where he quite literally jumped for joy after winning a third-set tiebreaker—but struggled in the key points against Rune on Saturday.

"It's about finding the right tempo, and luckily I've got decent leg work to reach many balls, but it was a very specific tactical plan that I made with my coach yesterday evening and this morning. It was all about finding the right pace and the right shots to hit. So many players miss too many shots against Daniil because he gets so many balls back and it makes you want to hit the ball even stronger and go for more. I'm super proud I found the right rhythm, the right tempo, and that I stayed super composed at the end."

Rune scored the crucial break of the opening set, edging through the final two games from 5-5, and broke early in the second set to put himself in position for the win. Medvedev played strong with the finish line in sight, holding to love down 3-5 and taking a 0-30 lead as Rune served for the match, but Rune reeled off the final four points to clinch victory in just over an hour and a half on Court 1.

"Mentally, I want to stay like I did today because today was a big match; I'd had two losses against Medvedev in a row. I think, in the past, I wasn't there mentlally, and it wasn't about the level. No matter who I play tomorrow, I need to stay focused, composed, and stay relaxed so I can go for it."

Standing between Rune and his biggest title in over two years could be defending champion Alcaraz, who will take on No. 13 seed Jack Draper in the second semifinal. Rune scored his lone win over the four-time Grand Slam champion via retirement in 2022, where he went on to win his Masters title in Paris-Bercy. Their most recent encounter came at Wimbledon in 2023, Alcaraz winning in straight sets en route to his own title.