Tennis

Hubert Hurkacz, Poland's top-ranked male tennis player, is using his platform to raise awareness and support for his flood-stricken homeland. Following the devastating floods in the southwest region of Poland, Hurkacz has pledged to donate €100 for every ace he hits during the remainder of his season."For me, sport is not just a competition, but also a platform to drive impact," Hurkacz wrote on social media. "Starting today and until the end of the season, I will be donating €100 for every ace I hit to support those affected by the devastating floods in Poland."Hurkacz's initiative has already garnered significant attention, with the Polish star hitting 17 aces in his first-round match in Tokyo against American Marcos Giron. The three-set thriller ended in Hurkacz's favor, adding €1,700 to his donation tally.World No. 1 Iga Swiatek, another Polish tennis star, has also expressed her support for the flood victims. Known for her activism, Swiatek has shared her thoughts and provided a link to the Polish Red Cross Collection, a movement that has been providing aid since its founding in 1910."My thoughts are with all people affected by the flood, and the services and organizations that are providing help. You are not alone," Swiatek wrote on Instagram.Hurkacz's #acesforaid campaign will continue throughout his season, while Swiatek's support will extend through the WTA Finals in November. Their efforts highlight the power of sports to unite people and make a positive impact on society.

Yoshihito Nishioka's Cincinnati Open campaign ended in disappointment as he squandered a one-set lead against Hubert Hurkacz, succumbing to a 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-1 defeat. The Japanese star's frustration boiled over in the final set, resulting in multiple penalties for ball abuse, including a game penalty.Nishioka, known affectionately as "Yoshi," had been aiming to break a 10-match losing streak against Top 10 opponents. He appeared poised to do so when he held a 4-1 lead in the second-set tiebreaker. However, Hurkacz rallied to win the tiebreaker and seize control of the match."Until the middle of the second set, he looked a little bit tired," Hurkacz said after the match. "He was having some problems with his back. He wasn't playing his best tennis, and I could see that, so I maybe had a chance to win today."Nishioka's frustration reached its peak in the third set when he fell behind a break. He hit multiple balls into the stands, incurring a point penalty. Another instance of ball abuse triggered a game penalty, giving Hurkacz a double-break advantage."I was already frustrated before the tiebreak," Nishioka explained. "In the third set when he broke me, and I felt like everything went to him and nothing to me. I played ok, but everything went to him, so that's where the frustration was coming from."Nishioka apologized for his behavior, expressing his hope to learn from his experience at the Lindner Family Tennis Center and perform better at the upcoming US Open."I had a lot of support here and in the U.S. as well, and in my home country," Nishioka said. "I had a good result here, beating [Miomir] Kecmanovic, who is a great player. I had good play against Hubi in our first meeting, but in the third set, I tanked a little bit.""I'm very sorry to my fans: I showed my best tennis until the second set when I couldn't. Hopefully, there'll be some luck to me at the US Open. I think my feel in tennis is better and better each day. I have to take care of my body a little bit and get ready for the US Open. I think I can play good tennis there."

Poland's Hubert Hurkacz, a contender for the Wimbledon title, was forced to withdraw from his second-round match against Arthur Fils on Thursday due to a knee injury. The seventh-seeded Hurkacz, who reached the semi-finals in 2021 after defeating eight-time champion Roger Federer, sustained the injury while diving for a ball during the fourth set tie-break.Despite limping back to his chair on Court Two, Hurkacz continued for two more points before retiring, handing 20-year-old Fils his first Grand Slam third-round appearance. Fils had taken the first two sets 7-6 (7/2), 6-4, while Hurkacz claimed the third 6-2 and had a set point in the fourth before his premature exit."It's not nice to win like that against a friend. We had a very good match, he was diving everywhere," said Fils, ranked 34th in the world. "I hope he gets better quickly. Now I'm focusing on the next round."Fils will face either Roman Safiullin of Russia or Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic for a place in the last 16. "I didn't like grass very much in the past, but it turns out that I can play it quite well," said the Frenchman.Hurkacz's injury is a significant blow to his Wimbledon hopes. The 25-year-old has been in impressive form this season, winning the Halle Open on grass in June. He was considered an outside favorite for the Wimbledon title, but his withdrawal leaves the tournament wide open.Fils, on the other hand, has seized the opportunity with both hands. The young Frenchman has shown great resilience and determination in his first two matches at Wimbledon. He will be hoping to continue his impressive run and make a deep run into the tournament.

Wimbledon 2023: Swiatek, Hurkacz, Draper, and Murray Brothers Set for ActionThe Wimbledon Championships are underway, and the women's tournament is poised for an exciting start with Iga Swiatek's highly anticipated debut on grass. The world No. 1 has dominated the clay courts this season, but can she carry her momentum to the faster surface?Swiatek's first-round opponent, Petra Martic, is a formidable grass-court player with a game suited to the surface. However, Swiatek's improved serve, which saw her fire six aces in her opening match, could give her an edge.In the men's draw, Hubert Hurkacz is a potential dark horse for the title. His serve-based game thrives on grass, and he has a strong track record at Wimbledon, reaching the semifinals in 2021. His first test will be against Arthur Fils, a rising star with impressive groundstrokes.Another intriguing matchup is between British players Jack Draper and Cam Norrie. Draper has emerged as the new British No. 1, while Norrie has struggled for form recently. Their clash on Thursday will be a battle for supremacy among the home favorites.Finally, Andy Murray will make his final Wimbledon appearance alongside his brother, Jamie, in the doubles draw. The Murray brothers will face John Peers and Rinky Hijikata in a first-round match that is sure to evoke nostalgia and emotion.

The ATP and WTA rankings have undergone significant changes following the conclusion of three grass-court events in Halle, Queen's Club, and Berlin.Carlos Alcaraz's Ranking Drop:Carlos Alcaraz's hopes of retaining his No. 2 ranking were dashed after his second-round exit at Queen's Club. As a result, he has dropped to No. 3, elevating Novak Djokovic to No. 2. This could have major implications for the Wimbledon seedings, with Jannik Sinner and Djokovic potentially becoming the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds, respectively.Hubert Hurkacz's Career-High Ranking:Hubert Hurkacz has achieved a new career-high ranking of No. 7 after reaching the final of the Halle ATP 500 event. He becomes the highest-ranked Polish player in ATP history, surpassing his previous best of No. 8.Tommy Paul's American No. 1 Status:Tommy Paul has reclaimed his career-high ranking of No. 12 after winning the Queen's Club title. He has also become the new American men's No. 1, replacing Taylor Fritz.Sebastian Korda's Top 20 Debut:Sebastian Korda has broken into the Top 20, rising to No. 20 after reaching the semifinals of Queen's Club. He is the second U.S. man born in the 2000s to achieve this feat, following Ben Shelton.Anna Kalinskaya's WTA Top 20 Debut:Anna Kalinskaya has made her Top 20 debut on the WTA rankings, jumping to No. 17 after reaching the final of the Berlin WTA 500 event. She has risen almost 100 spots in the last eight months, showcasing her impressive form.Jack Draper and Zhang Zhizhen's Top 30 and Top 40 Debuts:Jack Draper has made his Top 30 debut, rising to No. 29 after reaching the quarterfinals of Queen's Club. Zhang Zhizhen has also achieved a Top 40 debut, rising to No. 33 after reaching the semifinals in Halle and defeating Daniil Medvedev.

Halle Open: Sinner and Hurkacz Triumph from Match Point Down in DoublesIn the picturesque city of Halle, Germany, the dynamic duo of Jannik Sinner and Hubert Hurkacz have once again joined forces on the doubles court, this time at the Terra Wortmann Open. The pair, who have enjoyed previous success together on various surfaces, achieved a remarkable feat on Wednesday: winning a match from match point down.Facing the formidable third seeds Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow, Hurkacz and Sinner displayed unwavering determination and resilience. The match commenced with a competitive first set, which the European duo secured 6-4. However, the Americans fought back in the second set, claiming it 7-5.As the match entered a tense super tiebreak, the tension was palpable. Lammons and Withrow held a match point at 9-8, but Sinner and Hurkacz refused to yield. With nerves of steel, they rallied back to win the tiebreak 11-9, securing a hard-fought victory.This triumph marks a significant milestone for Sinner and Hurkacz, as it is the first time they have won a match from match point down as a doubles pair. Their victory is a testament to their exceptional skills, teamwork, and unwavering belief in each other.

At the 2023 Roland Garros tournament, an unprecedented incident occurred during the fourth-round match between No. 8 seed Hubert Hurkacz and No. 10 seed Grigor Dimitrov. With Hurkacz trailing 2-0 in sets, a line call in the third set sparked a dramatic meltdown.Hurkacz, believing the ball had landed in, demanded a review from chair umpire Alison Hughes. However, Hughes ruled the ball out, prompting an outburst from Hurkacz. Despite initially moving on, Hurkacz revisited the issue during the changeover, asking Dimitrov if he wanted to replace Hughes.Dimitrov appeared confused but eventually agreed to discuss the matter. After a brief exchange, Hurkacz seemed satisfied, and play resumed. Dimitrov went on to win the match 7-6 (5), 6-4, 7-6 (3), reaching his first Roland Garros quarterfinal.In a post-match press conference, Hurkacz explained his actions, stating that he had considered asking for a change earlier. He acknowledged the difficulty of line calls on clay courts and emphasized the need to accept the umpire's decisions.The incident was reminiscent of a similar meltdown by Hurkacz in the third-set tiebreaker of their Miami Open match earlier this year. Dimitrov also won that match, extending his head-to-head record against Hurkacz to 6-0.Despite the setback, Hurkacz praised Dimitrov's competitive spirit and acknowledged that he had not yet managed to win one of their battles. He expressed hope that he would eventually break through and secure a victory against his friend and rival.

Tommy Paul's impressive victory over Daniil Medvedev in Rome has boosted his confidence, but he faces a formidable challenge in Hubert Hurkacz in the quarterfinals. While Paul has struggled against Top 10 opponents in the past, Hurkacz has been in exceptional form on clay this season.Hurkacz's serve is expected to be a key factor in the match. With a 90.3% hold percentage this season and an 86.0% hold percentage on clay over the last 52 weeks, he has proven to be a formidable server. Paul, on the other hand, has a hold percentage of just 76.0% on clay.In addition to his serve, Hurkacz has also been returning at a high level in Rome. His 7.2 shot quality on return is the highest among all remaining players in the tournament. He has also displayed impressive serve quality, putting pressure on opponents when they serve.While Paul may have an advantage in longer rallies, Hurkacz's serve and return game are likely to make the difference. The Pole has shown a new level of consistency and aggression on clay this season, and he is the favorite to advance to the semifinals.

Hubert Hurkacz has etched his name into tennis history by becoming one of the few players to defeat both Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in straight sets on their respective preferred surfaces. After his recent victory over Nadal on clay, Hurkacz has now completed a rare feat by reaching the quarterfinals of all nine Masters 1000 events.Hurkacz's journey to this milestone began in 2019 when he reached the quarterfinals of Indian Wells. He went on to win the Miami Open in 2021, becoming the first Polish player to win a Masters 1000 title. In 2022, he reached the quarterfinals of Monte Carlo and Madrid, and now Rome.Hurkacz's consistency across all Masters 1000 events is a testament to his versatility and adaptability. He has performed well on both hard and clay courts, and his aggressive style of play has troubled even the most formidable opponents.The Polish star is part of a select group of players born in the 1990s to have reached the quarterfinals of all nine Masters 1000 events. This achievement highlights the depth of talent in the current generation of tennis players.Hurkacz's success is a source of pride for Poland and has inspired a new generation of tennis players. His ability to compete with the best in the world shows that anything is possible with hard work and determination.