Hubert Hurkacz joins Novak Djokovic as the only player to do this in 2023
Hubert Hurkacz joined Novak Djokovic on an elite list of 2023 statistics when he won the Shanghai Masters final against Andrey Rublev on Sunday.
Hurkacz earned his second Masters 1000 title with a thrilling victory against Rublev, as he Pole won 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (10-8) in a tight match that boiled down to an all-deciding tie-breaker.
A good start from Hurkacz saw Rublev respond by levelling in the second set, but the contest ultimately came down to the third set tie-breaker.
A closely-fought encounter saw both players saving one match point each but Hurkacz served up two aces to pull away and snatch victory.
He told the ATP website: “It was such a battle, 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.
“It is such a big tournament and so much tradition. It is a huge event and I am really happy now.”
Hurkacz opened up on his win in his post-match press conference, as he suggested the battling qualities he showed to stay in the match was satisfying.
READ MORE: 2023 ATP Finals: How does Hubert Hurkacz’s Shanghai win affect Holger Rune and company?
“I think, definitely just proud of the fight I’m putting and, you know, the commitment I’m giving on every, trying to do it every single point,” said Hurkacz.
“It was the most exciting finish of a match. We both had match points in the tie-break, we both had chances. I was super pumped at the end to battle and win that last point.
“I was just trying to tell myself that what I was trying to do in the tie-break was the right thing to do. I said, stay positive and trust my shots and it was great to come through.”
Hurkacz’s win against Rublev was the second time Hurkacz saved a match point and went on to win the title this season, as he also won the ATP event in Marseille last February after saving a match point in the quarter-finals of that tournament.
World No 1 Novak Djokovic has replicated that effort, as he saved a match point in his epic battle against Carlos Alcaraz in the Cincinnati Masters final back in August before he went in to lift the title.
The Serbian also saved a match point against Sebastian Korda at the ATP event in Adelaide in January before going on to lift that title.
Hurkacz’s previous Masters 1000 win came at the Miami Open in 2021, where he defeated Jannik Sinner in the final.
The victory in Shanghai will see him move up six places to No 11 in the new ATP rankings and the Polish star will now move on to Tokyo this week to compete in the Japan Open Championships.
