Hurkacz leaves Nadal no chance in Rome Masters

Hubert Hurkacz pulled off a stunning upset at the Rome Masters by defeating Rafael Nadal in straight sets in the second round.

Despite Nadal’s storied history at the tournament, the 10-time champion struggled to find his rhythm against the ninth-ranked Hurkacz, who capitalized on his opportunities to secure a commanding victory.

The match began with Nadal squandering five break point chances, allowing Hurkacz to assert his dominance and take control of the set with two crucial breaks. The Polish player went on to claim the first set convincingly 6-1.

In the second set, Nadal continued to struggle to create break point opportunities, while Hurkacz maintained his composure and capitalized on his chances to secure two more breaks. With a final score of 6-3 in the second set, Hurkacz sealed his victory over the 22-time Grand Slam champion.

Hubi Hurkacz after beating Rafa Nadal:

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“Playing Rafa is something special. It’s just different. Especially on clay, which he’s dominated the past 20 years. No one will ever have a record like him. He’s bigger than the sport.” 🥹

pic.twitter.com/2ARm4DNWR3

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) May 11, 2024

Hurkacz’s next challenge will be against Martin Etcheverry in the round of 16.