In a dramatic opening match at this year’s French Open, Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz narrowly defeated Japan’s Shintaro Mochizuki in a grueling five-set encounter. Hurkacz, seeded eighth in the tournament, faced unexpected challenges from the low-ranked Japanese player but ultimately triumphed with a scoreline of 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3.
The match saw Hurkacz take an early lead, breaking Mochizuki’s serve to go up 2-0, but the resilient Japanese player quickly recovered and clinched the first set 6-4. In the second set, Hurkacz stabilized his game, breaking Mochizuki in the sixth game and securing a 6-3 win. Despite a setback in the third set, where Mochizuki broke early and maintained his lead to take it 6-3, Hurkacz dominated the fourth set, winning 6-0 without conceding a game.
The decisive fifth set was a tense affair, with Hurkacz’s powerful serve proving instrumental. At 3-2, Mochizuki double-faulted on break point, giving Hurkacz a crucial advantage. Despite a rain delay at 5-2, Hurkacz returned focused and sealed the victory 6-3.
Hubi survives in five 👊#RolandGarros @HubertHurkacz pic.twitter.com/cXmoKi87uM
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 26, 2024
Hurkacz’s challenging start at Roland Garros highlighted the unpredictable nature of Grand Slam tennis. Now, he will face American Brandon Nakashima.
Hubert Hurkacz – Shintaro Mochizuki 3-2 (4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3)