Eighth-seeded Hubert Hurkacz racked up 18 aces while knocking off fourth-seeded Casper Ruud 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 on Saturday to reach the final of the National Bank Open at Montreal.
Hurkacz hit 47 winners, converted 80.8 percent of his first-serve points and saved five of eight breaks points while reaching the final. He committed 18 unforced errors.
Hurkacz will be looking for his second title of the season and sixth of his career. The Poland native will face either Span’s Pablo Carreno Busta or Britain’s Daniel Evans in the championship. Those two played later Saturday.
“The finals are always very tricky,” Hurkacz said. “The best players from each half are playing there, so obviously whoever I’m going to play will have a lot of momentum, a lot of confidence. It’s just going to be a super tough battle.”
Hurkacz also will be seeking his second 1000-level title. He won the Miami Open in 2021.
Ruud had 34 winners against 12 unforced errors. The Norwegian converted 80 percent of his first-serve points.
Ruud won the final three games to take the first set, but Hurkacz was the stronger player in the following two sets. He won the first four games of the final set to seize control before he finished off the victory in two hours, two minutes.
–Field Level Media
