NEW YORK — Karolina Muchova may have had the best shot of the 2024 U.S. Open on day two.

There were lobs with perfect placement. Tweeners that became winners. And then there was Muchova’s move: a leaping lob behind the back that almost touched the back wall, a point the Czech ultimately won en route to her 6-3, 7-5 victory over the nominally deterministic American Katie Volynets.

“I just ran there,” Muchova said of the shot after the match. “I kind of ran over the ball and tried to get it to the other side somehow. So a bit of luck. You don’t practice shots like that.”

The stunning shot came when Muchova was leading 4-1 against Volynets in the first set. When Volynets served 40-15, Muchova was already on the defensive on the return. She charged to the right and hit a short forehand ball back to Volynets. The American hit a forehand ball into the far corner, forcing Muchova to run. Muchova got to the ball and hit a one-handed lob to Volynets near the net.

It looked like a sure overhead smash win for Volynets. Until it wasn’t anymore.

When Volynets placed her shot overhead, she aimed for the middle. She could have hit to the left side of the court, but Muchova ran to the right, meaning she would have had a chance to play the ball. By hitting her smash to the middle of the court, Volynets aimed to hit the ball behind Muchova.

Volynets’ smash was hit with solid speed. As the ball bounced off the court, Muchova ran first in front of it and then past it – the point seemed over.

Until it wasn’t anymore.

Muchova has not only hit one lob from behind. And she has not only hit one Jump Behind-the-back lob. She hit a jumping behind-the-back lob because jumping was the only way to do it – she could only jump across the court to give herself enough space to bring her arm and racket around and hit the ball, showing incredible wrist stability to hit the ball over Volynets. This is a player who returned from wrist surgery in May.

Volynets, who quickly switched from attack to defense, had to hurry and hit a short ball that Muchova took advantage of.

The 28-year-old clenched her fist, smiled and briefly stuck out her tongue as she realized the magnitude of her remarkable blow.

“I just smiled,” Muchova said. “I just thought, ‘Wow, that was a good shot that landed on the court.’ It’s always nice when you make a shot like that.”

Muchova reached the semifinals of the US Open last year before losing to eventual winner Coco Gauff. She is currently ranked No. 52 in the world and faces the winner of Naomi Osaka and Jelena Ostapenko in the second round, but her behind-the-back praise will remain in tennis highlights forever.

(Photo above: US Open / YouTube)