By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday February 8, 2025

2025 started with high expectations for Hubert Hurkacz. Now coached by the dream team of Ivan Lendl and Nicolas Massu, the Pole was expected to ramp his game up to the next level.

It hadn’t worked out that way for the first month, but now that the calendar has kicked into February we are starting to see a more aggressive style of tennis from Hurkacz.



It is paying dividends.

Unfortunately, on Saturday in Rotterdam, the mission for Hurkacz proved to be too large. Despite playing some imposing and impressive Tennis, he was ultimately defeated by Carlos Alcaraz, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-3

The victory is a significant milestone for Alcaraz — the Spaniard is into his first ever indoor final and will compete for his first indoor title tomorrow against Australia’s Alex de Minaur.

Though it was Alcaraz who emerged victorious, it must be said that Hurkacz demonstrated, for a time at least, the type of tennis he will need to play to become better than he ever has been before. The way he was able to dominate play during some stretches of the match should give him confidence to continue on his path.

The No. 8 seed started today’s semifinal with the top-seeded Spaniard on fire, ripping breathtaking winners and providing the type of touch and shotmaking prowess that we normally expect from Alcaraz.

Commentating the match for the world feed, former pro Colin Fleming said: “This is some of the best tennis we’ve ever seen from Hurkacz here.

“This is large and in charge. This is overwhelming, so far.”



He wasn’t exaggerating.

“We thought he would pose a challenge this evening, but nobody thought we’d see this level from Hurkacz surely,”chimed in Lee Goodall, Fleming’s broadcast partner.

The Pole had several chances for a double break early in the first set, but couldn’t claim them. Alcaraz, recognizing the challenge, upped his level as well.

“I just fought, every ball, until the end, that’s all I was thinking about. In the end I knew that I was going to have my chances," Alcaraz said on court after his win. "His level at the time was unbelievable. I’m really happy that I fought for every ball and saved the break points that I had that [would have put me] 5-1 down.”

Thus, we experienced the two competing narratives in this match. First, Hurkacz, transformed and blossoming; second, Alcaraz, rising to the challenge, and demonstrating his superior athleticism, desire, and ability to compete with any and all types of aggression levied against him.

It would be the Spaniard who had the final say. but he would need time to repel Hurkacz’s advances and take control in both sets.

25 minutes had elapsed and the Pole could still not distance himself significantly.

“This is like a heavyweight fight isn’t it,” Goodall said.

Alcaraz was down 1-4 love-40 at one point and yet suddenly, after seven games, the Spaniard found himself back on serve. Touché.

Soon the fourt time major champion would have control of the contest, taking the opening set 6-4 and leaving Hurkacz wondering what he would need to do to re-impose himself on proceedings.

The second set was a bit more muted than the first but still very competitive. And, surprise, surprise, it went to Hurkacz in the tiebrek. Alcaraz had the match on his racquet after winning the 4-4 point, a point that saw Hurkacz play too tentatively with his forehand as the Spaniard took control to force the error.

But a double-fault at 5-5 gave Hurkacz hope and he slipped through the window by taking the next two points.

It could have been the beginning of something bigger for Hurkacz, but Alcaraz was having none of it. The Spaniard didn’t bat an eye at his newfound troubles. Instead he broke the Pole immediately in the second set and consolidated for 3-0. He would not allow the World No.21 another window the rest of the way.

Alcaraz improves to 4-0 lifetime against Hurkacz. All of their matches have featured tight sets, and Hurkacz even held a match point the last time they met, in Cincinnati in 2023. If their fourth meeting on Saturday proves anything it’s that Hurkacz is close, maybe even getting close, but not quite there.