Following his victory over Nick Kyrgios at the 2022 Canadian Open in Montreal, Hubert Hurkacz spoke about how much he enjoyed the match-up.
It was a tight affair, with the Pole edging past the Aussie in three sets (7-6, 6-7, 6-1). After both of the first two sets being dragged out to tie-breaks, putting up a valid fight for Hurkacz in the final set was clearly an ask too far for Kyrgios.
It is understandable when one considers his hectic recent schedule, with the man from Down Under having played a considerable amount of matches in recent months.
As for the Pole, there were only positives to be taken from the win, with him speaking post-match about how much he enjoyed the game and how happy he was with his performance.
"Nick has been playing some incredible tennis throughout the past weeks, so it is a pleasure playing against him. I hope the fans enjoyed it as well, but I am happy with the result in the end."
Kyrgios' niggling injury was something even Hurkacz could spot, and he understood that it was an advantage. He also acknowledged that it ended up being a close match.
“I started really well. Nick was maybe a little bit injured, which might have hurt his serve. With both of us serving so well, that few per cent can make the difference.
This win continues Hurkacz's stellar week in Montreal. Having beaten Emil Ruusuvuori, Albert Ramos-Vinolas, and now Kyrgios, the Pole finds himself up against Casper Ruud in the semi-final.
What is more, as the only man to have won an ATP Masters 1000 title already under his belt, some may call him the favorite for the title.
He will want to continue this golden run for as long as possible, with the long run-in to the US Open being a crucial time of the season to find form ahead of the season-ending Grand Slam.