(Tennis news) In two hours and six minutes, the 16th seed emerged victorious in an intense tie-breaker, winning 6-3 3-6 7-6[8]. This victory added to his maiden Masters crown from the 2021 Miami Open, and it was his second title of the year after his victory at the Open 13 in February.

The main event on Sunday was already precariously balanced; in their four prior meetings, Rublev and Hurkacz had split the victories, but the Russian had won both in 2022.

But in the first game, Hurkacz served brilliantly, giving up just two points on his opening serve and using two of Rublev’s unforced mistakes to his advantage to get the vital break in the sixth game.

Rublev, though, equaled the Pole’s amazing serving in the second set, doubling Hurkacz’s ace total with six against the 16th seed’s three, and charging into a 3-0 lead en route to a decisive third set.

Hurkacz failed to produce a single break point during the second set, but in the ninth game of a fiercely contested championship match, the Pole generated his first Championship point with an impressive forehand. However, an excessively emotional Rublev became agitated and yelled at a photographer for what appeared to be a distraction.

In the moments before a thrilling tiebreaker in which Rublev agonisingly let a 3-0 lead escape from his hands, he saved that Championship point and got away with it, so the umpire felt pity for him.

Hurkacz secured the victory after Rublev committed one last backhand into the net, sealing his fate for a third loss in four ATP 1000 finals. A few match points were gone at that point.
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