Superb Hurkacz downs Nadal in Rome

Hubert Hurkacz delivered a high-class second-round performance Saturday to defeat Rafael Nadal at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia. With his 6-1, 6-3 win, the seventh seed may have brought Nadal’s illustrious career at the Rome ATP Masters 1000 to a close.

Hurkacz survived a marathon opening game on serve, during which he saved five break points, before exerting his authority with a combination of big serving and high-powered groundstrokes. The No. 9 in the PIF ATP Rankings wrapped victory in his maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head clash with Nadal in 93 minutes, his first win at the Foro Italico since 2020.

“I’m definitely really proud of myself,” said Hurkacz, when asked how he felt he had handled the occasion. “Playing Rafa is something special. It’s just different, especially being on clay, the surface that he has just dominated over the past 20 years. No one will ever have a record like him on this surface.

"He’s just bigger than the sport at the end of the day. So many people follow him and he inspired so many guys, so I’m just really happy to have had that experience today.”

👏 HUBI POWER👏

Hurkacz ends Nadal’s time in Rome with a straight sets sensation 🔥@InteBNLdItalia | #IBI24 pic.twitter.com/HGXU8asRLm

— ATP Tour (@atptour) May 11, 2024

A record 10-time champion in Rome, Nadal holds a 70-9 record in the Italian capital. After pulling through a three-set battle against Zizou Bergs on Thursday, the 37-year-old raised his level in the early stages against Hurkacz. However, it was not enough to stop the charge of the Pole, who saved all seven break points he faced in the match, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

“It’s very special. We just had the opportunity to practise,” said Hurkacz. “Growing up, looking up to him and seeing him win all those titles, obviously here and at Roland Garros, it was just a special experience.

“I wanted to play him so much, especially on clay, so just being able to share the court with him, especially with the atmosphere at the beginning of the match, how people really love him and support him… It’s tough to explain in words, but the whole atmosphere surrounding the beginning of the match was just different.”

The nature of Hurkacz’s victory seemed unlikely after the first two games of the match. After he saved Nadal’s five break points to hold for 1-0, the Pole then let slip two break chances of his own in the second game.

“That was probably the longest three games I will ever play in my life,” said Hurkacz of the opening exchanges. “I think I found my serve and that definitely helped my confidence build. Actually after those long games, I got into a pretty good rhythm and felt, ‘OK, I can go like this forever’.

“I just tried to compete. Obviously the score looks the way it does, but I knew I had to be on top of my game throughout the whole match. If I had dropped just a little bit, he was going to be right back there. That was the really tough part, and I was trying to manage it as good as I could.”

Hurkacz will next to try to reach the fourth round in Rome for the first time when he plays Tomas Martin Etcheverry. The 25th-seeded Argentine earlier defeated Thiago Seyboth Wild 6-3, 7-5 to seal his third-round spot.