Hubert Hurkacz outlasts Andrey Rublev to win Shanghai Masters

SHANGHAI — Hubert Hurkacz won his second Masters title in a dramatic final at the Shanghai Masters on Sunday, saving a match point before winning 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (8) against Andrey Rublev .

As he did in his impressive semi-final victory against Sebastian Korda, the Polish player’s serve was once again his strong weapon as he hit 21 aces and won more than 80% of his opening points. service.

Hurkacz landed the first blow of the final with a forehand winner to break Rublev in the sixth game, which proved decisive to win the first set.

It was the first set the 25-year-old Russian player lost in the tournament, but it seemed to boost him, as the No. 7-ranked player found his margin in the second, hitting 16 winners to force the decision.

As the match tightened, Rublev saved a match point on serve at 4-5 before taking a 5-2 advantage in the third set tiebreaker. Hurkacz responded by firing back-to-back aces before forcing an error from Rublev to tie it at 5-5.

Rublev then had a match point at 6-5, which Hurkacz saved, before converting on his fourth chance to win the title after two hours and nine minutes.

“It was such a battle,” Hurkacz said. “Especially emotionally. I had a match point and Andrey hit an incredible serve, then he had a match point and then I had a few match points. It was back and forth and such a match tricky. Andrey was playing great shots. I was I tried to respond. It was one of those matches and I kept believing and I’m super happy with how I did in the end.

“It’s such a big tournament and so much tradition. It’s a huge event and I’m really happy now.”

The 26-year-old has now won seven titles on the tour, his triumph in Shanghai joining that of the Masters in Miami in 2021.