Annual certificate Hubert Hurkacz, Not fish, not meat; Satisfactory minus
Hubert Hurkacz won a title in 2022 and will end the year in the top 10 in the world rankings. At the same time, Poland has had (too) many slips this season. A review.
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit:
Dec 17, 2022, 07:56 am
Hubert Hurkacz actually has everything you need to play tennis very successfully under the current conditions on the ATP tour. The 25-year-old has a great serve, can go from the baseline at high speed on both sides and knows - which is by no means a matter of course in the younger generation - to convince on the net too. An all-round carefree package, at least for playing on grass and fast indoor hard court, you might think. Could you.
Because: The 25-year-old didn't really want to convince this season. After the advance in the ATP ranking to ninth place in 2021, the balance for this season with only one title win is quite poor. Although the Pole is still part of the ten men who finished the year in the top 10 after the 2022 season. Which of course promises a good starting position for the Australian Open in January.
Damper at Wimbledon
Hurkacz had to accept the first of four Grand Slam disappointments of the season there in 2022: At the first major event of the year, the 25-year-old surprisingly failed in round two at Adrian Mannarino, previously Hurkacz had reached the semifinals with Poland at the ATP Cup reached. The 25-year-old was able to consistently show respectable performances, but Hurkacz failed in the semi-finals in both Miami and Dubai.
So it went to the French Open - without the self-confidence of winning a title in the back. In the French capital, Hurkacz achieved the modest best performance in a Grand Slam tournament of the year by reaching the round of 16. Also because a few weeks later in Wimbledon it was probably the most bitter defeat of the season for the likeable tenth in the world rankings: Hurkacz was still considered a favorite in Wimbledon after winning the title in Halle (with victories over Nick Kyrgios and Daniil Medvedev), the Pole had to in London but already say goodbye in round one. A bitter setback.
Hurkacz with a wall Grand Slam yield
Back on the field, now in the USA, Hurkacz was only just denied the second title win of the year: In Montreal, the 25-year-old had to admit defeat to the premiere champion at ATP Masters 1000 level Pablo Carreno Busta. At the US Open a little later - as in Australia - there was a bitter end in round two. A new low point in a more than screwed up Grand Slam season 2022 for Hurkacz, who still only has one semi-final entry at major level.
The indoor hardcourt season was not able to bring much impetus to the Pole, who was on the pitch a whopping 62 times in 2022 (and was able to leave 41 times victorious). The Pole did not want to look out for more than a semi-final at the ATP 250 event in Metz. Not enough for the demands of the 25-year-old. And not enough for the playful qualities that the Pole undisputedly brings - only 2022 (too) rarely brought to the pitch.