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World no. 21 Hubert Hurkacz will compete in his first semi-final since June last year. The Pole faced Andrey Rublev in the ATP 500 Rotterdam quarter-final and prevailed 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 in two hours and 24 minutes. Hubert ousted Andrey for the fourth time in six encounters.
The Russian took the opener but failed to bring the encounter home. The Pole clinched two breaks in sets two and three to emerge at the top and notch a top-10 victory.
Hurkacz fired 44 winners and tamed his strokes nicely, hitting 40 winners and 35 unforced errors. Rublev landed 22 forehand winners but finished on a 30-40 ratio. He fought hard but experienced another tight loss. World no. 10 was off to a good start.
Andrey landed a deep return in the second game, causingthe rival's mistake for an early break. The Russian served well in games three and five and remained in front. The Pole stepped in on the return in game seven and landed a forehand down the line winner for a break.
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Rublev held in the 11th game after deuces, and the set reached a tie break. Hubert grabbed a mini-break in the first point and claimed two points on serve for 3-0. Andrey played a wild forehand in the fifth point and fell 5-2behind.
Hubert sprayed a backhand error in the tenth point, bringing his rival back to 5-5. The Pole netted a routine volleyin the 11th point and played a loose backhand at 5-6, allowing the Russian to wrap up the opener in 53 minutes.
Hurkacz served well in the second set and kept the pressure on the other side. Rublev fought well in games two and four, defending four break points and remaining on the positive side. Hubert closed the seventh game with an ace and made another push on the return in the next one.
World no. 21 caused the rival's error and secured a break at 15 that sent him 5-3 in front. Hurkacz served for the set in game nine and closed it with a service winner, extending the duel after an hour and 37 minutes. They served well in the opening six games of the final set.
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The Pole stepped in on the return in game seven and fired a forehand down the line winner for a decisive break. However, things could have been different, with Rublev generating three break points in the eighth game! World no. 21 denied them with winners and held for 5-3.
Andrey served to stay in the match in game nine and closed it after deuces. Hurkacz served for the win at 5-4 and welcomed the rival's backhand error, moving over the top and celebrating a top-10 triumph.
