Since Hubert Hurkacz turned pro in 2015, many tennis fans primarily remember him for his remarkable victory over Roger Federer at the 2021 Wimbledon quarterfinals, where he displayed a commanding performance, securing a convincing 6-3, 7-6, 6-0 win. Nevertheless, the 2021 season was undoubtedly Hubert’s toughest, marked by the absence of any title triumphs. However, the Pole’s form was rejuvenated in the Shanghai Masters, where he displayed a remarkable resurgence by outdueling Andrey Rublev in a thrilling final to clinch the seventh ATP title of his career.
Hubert Hurkacz defeated Andrey Rublev in a thrilling match to win the Shanghai Masters championship with a 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (10/8) triumph. Hubert has a 7-1 record in tour-level finals, with his lone setback coming in the 2022 Montreal title match against Pablo Carreno Busta. It’s evident that Hubert Hurkacz is more than a single defining event in tennis; he’s continually proving himself to be a formidable force in the sport.
Hubert Hurkacz wins Shanghai Masters
Hubert Hurkacz captured his second ATP Masters 1000 title in dramatic fashion on Sunday at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where he saved one match point to defeat Andrey Rublev 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(8).
“It was such a battle,” Hubert Hurkacz said. “Especially emotionally. I had a match point and Andrey hit an amazing serve and then he had a match point and then I had some match points. It was back and forth and such a tricky match. Andrey was playing some great shots. I was trying to respond. It was one of those matches and I kept believing and I am super happy with how I managed at the end.”
At the age of 26, the talented athlete has added another impressive accolade to his growing list of achievements. With a total of seven tour-level titles under his belt, his recent victory in Shanghai marks his second ATP Masters 1000 triumph. In a stunning display of skill and determination, the champion emerged victorious in Miami in 2021. Facing off against the formidable Jannik Sinner in the final, he showcased his exceptional abilities and claimed the coveted trophy.
With his 39th win of the season, Hubert Hurkacz improved to 3-2 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series, while he propelled himself to 11th in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race to Turin. He is just 335 points behind Holger Rune, who currently occupies the all-important eighth position. Hurkacz is aiming to make his second appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals, having qualified in 2021.
In a dramatic match in Shanghai, both played with destructive power. Hurkacz won 90 percent (18/20) of his first-serve points in the first set to control his service games and hammered a forehand winner in the sixth game of the opener to claim the decisive break.
With little to separate them, Rublev saved a match point on serve at 4-5 before storming to a 5/2 lead in the third-set tie-break. Hurkacz, however, refused to yield, delivering consecutive aces before pressuring Rublev into an error, leveling the score at 5/5. In a tense exchange, Hurkacz then thwarted a match point at 5/6 before capitalizing on his fourth opportunity to secure his most significant win of the season.
Hurkacz becomes the sixth player this season to save at least one match point on his path to winning a tour-level title. The Polish player had previously accomplished this feat in Marseille in February, where he saved a match point in the quarter-finals against Mikael Ymer.
Hubert Hurkacz receives praise from compatriot Iga Swiatek
Hubert Hurkacz has received a congratulatory message from compatriot Iga Swiatek after defeating Andrey Rublev 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(8) to win the 2023 Shanghai Masters.
Swiatek, who won the China Open last week, took to social media to hail Hurkacz, who clinched his second career Masters title in Shanghai. The WTA World No. 2 responded to an emotional message from Hurkacz. ‘Great job, Hubi! Huge congratulations,’ Swiatek wrote.
Hubert Hurkacz thanked his friends, family, and the Shanghai crowd for the “special” win while also lauding Andrey Rublev on his performance during the competition.
