Hubert Hurkacz saved a match point before defeating fifth seed Andrey Rublev 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (10/8) to win a thrilling Shanghai Masters final on Sunday.
It was the big-serving Pole's second Masters triumph, to go with the one he won in Miami in 2021, and a seventh ATP title in all. "It was such a battle, especially emotionally," the 16th seed said after surviving a nail-biting third-set tie break in front of the watching Roger Federer. "I had a match point and Andrey hit an amazing serve and then he had a match point and then I had some match points. "It was back and forth and such a tricky match." Hurkacz had Rublev under pressure early and broke the Russian with a vicious whipped forehand that Rublev had no chance of returning to lead 4-2 in the first set.
The 25-year-old Rublev let out an angry roar in response and then Hurkacz easily held his own booming serve to go up 5-2. The Pole Hurkacz came into the final with a tournament-leading 77 aces and Rublev could not handle his blistering serve.
Hurkacz sealed the first set in 31 minutes -- and it was inevitably with another ace. He sent down 21 over the course of a topsy-turvy final.