Hubert Hurkacz, Poland’s tennis player, may have missed this year’s ATP Masters 1000 in Shanghai due to health issues, but the tournament organizers ensured his 2023 triumph won’t be forgotten. To honour his victory, a terracotta statue of Hurkacz was unveiled on the tournament grounds, commemorating his win over Andrey Rublev in last year’s final.
The statue, part of a tradition reserved for past Shanghai champions like Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Andy Murray, mirrors the style of China’s famed Terracotta Army. Each figure is dressed in the likeness of ancient Chinese soldiers but holds a tennis racket instead of traditional weapons, blending China’s cultural heritage with tennis.
Only in Shanghai: each champion has the privilege of being enshrined in statue form, in the style of a traditional Chinese warrior 🗿
— We Are Tennis (@WeAreTennis) October 3, 2024
The one of 2023 champion Hubert Hurkacz has just arrived ↘️
(🎥 @SH_RolexMasters) pic.twitter.com/z7H6SspJ9j
This tribute arrives during a difficult season for Hurkacz, who has struggled with injuries throughout 2024. He missed the Paris Olympics and suffered early exits at Wimbledon and the US Open, along with parting ways with his longtime coach Craig Boynton.