Tennis: Hurkacz battles back to topple Ruud in Montreal and set up final against Carreno Busta
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Hubert Hurkacz of Poland celebrates his victory over Norway's Casper Ruud.
PHOTO: AFP
MONTREAL (AFP) - Hubert Hurkacz shrugged off a slow start, as he recovered to upset fourth seed Casper Ruud 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 on Saturday (Aug 13) and book a title clash with Pablo Carreno Busta at the ATP Montreal Masters.
The eighth-seeded Pole needed two hours to oust his Norwegian opponent, who had dropped just one set all week.
Hurkacz finished with 47 winners - including 18 aces - and 19 unforced errors, advancing on his second match point.
He will play his second Masters 1000 final against unseeded Carreno Busta, who needed three hours to hold off Briton Daniel Evans 7-5, 6-7 (7-9), 6-2.
The Spaniard had a match point in the second set tiebreaker but couldn’t close out victory for another 50 minutes, finally sprinting away as he won the last dozen points of the match.
Evans sent over his sixth double-fault of a long evening to surrender the contest.
Carreno Busta reached his first Masters final, where he’ll be vying to become the first unseeded champion in Canada since Argentina’s Guillermo Canas in 2002.
The last player ranked outside the top eight to win the Canadian crown was Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2014, when the men played in Toronto.
The Spaniard had a match point in the second set tiebreaker but couldn’t close out victory for another 50 minutes, finally sprinting away as he won the last dozen points of the match.
Evans sent over his sixth double-fault of a long evening to surrender the contest.
Carreno Busta reached his first Masters final, where he’ll be vying to become the first unseeded champion in Canada since Argentina’s Guillermo Canas in 2002.
The last player ranked outside the top eight to win the Canadian crown was Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2014, when the men played in Toronto.
"I was just trying to stay in the match, he was better for the first set and a half," Hurkacz said. "I just had to hold on and fight".
The Pole has gone to three sets in each of his matches this week, but said he wasn't feeling any physical toll.
"I feel good, I have energy," he said. "So far so good."
Ruud and Hurkacz traded early breaks, but the Norwegian gained the edge in the first set, winning it on another break of serve.
He then inflicted further punishment by breaking Hurkacz to love in the opening game of the second as he tried to set a tone for the remainder of the match.
But Hurkacz struck back with an immediate break and carried on to level the match at a set apiece.
He got away quickly in the deciding set, grabbing a 4-1 lead with two quick breaks of serve before closing out the comeback triumph.
He avenged a loss to Ruud in the fourth round at Roland Garros two months ago.
