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By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday August 13, 2022


Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz moved within a victory of his second Masters 1000 title on Saturday in Montreal, rallying from a set down to defeat Casper Ruud, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2.

Tennis Express

The Polish No.1 has been cool under pressure in Canada this week – each of his four victories have come in a deciding third set, and he saved a match point in his round of 16 match against Albert Ramos-Vinolas.

He will face Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta, who reached his first career Masters 1000 final with a win over Dan Evans (7-5, 6-7(7), 6-2), in the final.

Carreno Busta had to work extremely hard for his paycheck, the 31-year-old Spaniard sealing his win in two hours and fifty-eight minutes after squandering a match point in the second set. It was a spirited affair. Evans played a brilliant second-set tiebreak, but could not match wills with the steely Spaniard in the third.

Nevertheless an excellent effort from the British No.2 (ATP ranking: 39), who defeated fifth-seeded Andrey Rublev in the second round and 10th-seeded Taylor Fritz in the third round.

Hurkacz and Carreno Busta have split their two head-to-head meetings, which were both played in 2021.

On Saturday the No.8-seeded Hurkacz rallied from a set down for the second time this week, firing 18 aces and ripping 47 winners against 19 unforced errors to earn his victory in two hours and two minutes over the trailblazing Norwegian.

In his last two rounds, Hurkacz has fired 38 aces. He hit 20 on Friday to snap Nick Kyrgios’ nine-match winning streak.


Fourth-seeded Ruud had the edge early on as he dominated the first set, and he took an early lead in set two as well, breaking the Pole in the first game.

But Hurkacz slowly got his teeth into the contest and gradually took ownership of the terms as he sailed through the final set.

“Casper is super tough opponent. I needed to give it all today,” Hurkacz said. “Definitely he was playing super well. I was just thinking that I just need to hang on there somehow, try to search and find a way.”

The Pole will face Pablo Carreno Busta in Sunday’s final, and he is assured of a return to the top-10 regardless of the result. He will bid to become the ninth active player to have won multiple Masters 1000 titles, joining Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Carlos Alcaraz.

Hurkacz is also alive in the doubles draw, partnered with compatriot Jan Zielinski, he’ll face Dan Evans and John Peers for a spot in the final on Saturday evening.

He says fatigue will not be a factor, no matter what happens.

“Physically I feel good,” he said. “I’ve been putting a lot of work in these past weeks. So far, so good!"

 

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