Hubert Hurkacz has made a statement to his ATP colleagues by hiring two high-profile coaches, including Andy Murray's ex-coach.
Hurkacz possesses a powerful game that could challenge for a Grand Slam, but the closest he has come to winning a major title was a run to the semifinal of the 2021 Wimbledon Championships, losing to Matteo Berrettini.
The Pole has enjoyed more success at the ATP Masters 1000 level. He secured titles at the Miami Open and last year's Shanghai Masters after a thrilling battle in the final against ten-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist Andrey Rublev.
Hurkacz will prepare for the 2025 season by competing at the World Tennis League, which runs from December 19th to 22nd. Former WTA No. 1 Iga Swiatek will be one of his teammates at the team event.
The prospect of Hurkacz and Swiatek competing in the mixed doubles at the event is exciting. They have also played at the United Cup together and signed up to represent Team Poland in the 2025 iteration, which begins on December 27th.
However, there will be increased attention surrounding Swiatek's involvement after she received a one-month ban for testing positive for the banned substance trimetazidine. That resulted in a provisional suspension.
Swiatek successfully appealed that provisional ban after testing proved her explanation that a non-prescription medicine had been contaminated. It was lifted on October 4th. Since she already served most of the one-month ban during that time, she is free to return for the 2025 season.
Some players were enraged by Swiatek's doping story. Hurkacz has not commented publicly about it, but he is likely to support his compatriot. The 27-year-old has a good relationship with Swiatek.
Last year's Shanghai Masters champion might be happy to balance the negative news about Swiatek with some positive developments in his team. He has appointed Ivan Lendl and Nicolas Massu as his coaches.
Lendl, an eight-time Grand Slam champion, worked with Murray three times. From the start of 2012 until March 2014, the Briton won the 2012 US Open, 2013 Wimbledon, and an Olympic gold medal. The 64-year-old was credited with improving Murray's maturity.
After re-hiring Lendl in June 2016, Murray won another Wimbledon and Olympic gold medal, the ATP Finals, and finished 2016 as the year-end No. 1 for the first and only time in his distinguished career.
They ended their partnership again in 2017. Lendl worked with Murray one more time in 2022, but the three-time Grand Slam winner did not challenge for the most significant tournaments again after 2017 because of a severe hip injury.
Despite not progressing past the fourth round of a Grand Slam during his career, Massu is remembered for stunningly winning Olympic gold in the men's singles and doubles in Athens in 2004.
The Chilean is also known for being Dominic Thiem's coach from 2019 until 2023. He was in the Austrian's team for his 2020 US Open and 2019 Indian Wells Open triumphs, which included beating Roger Federer in the final.
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