In a dramatic and weather-plagued match at the French Open, Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz finally emerged victorious against American Brandon Nakashima. The match, stretched over two days due to persistent rain, saw Hurkacz clinch a four-set win with scores of 6-7(2), 6-1, 6-3, 7-6(5), securing his place in the third round of the Grand Slam.
Originally set to conclude on Wednesday, the match faced multiple interruptions due to the unpredictable Parisian weather. Play was first halted at 5-6 in the opening set, forcing both players to return on Thursday. Hurkacz faced immediate pressure, having to stave off a potential set loss right after resuming. Despite his efforts, Nakashima captured the first set in a tie-break, taking advantage of Hurkacz’s slow start.
The Polish player quickly bounced back in the second set, delivering an almost flawless performance. He dropped only one game to Nakashima, leveling the match in just over 30 minutes.
The third set was disrupted once more by rain at 1-1. Upon resumption, Hurkacz broke Nakashima’s serve and maintained his momentum, winning the set 6-3.
The fourth set saw both players holding serve until 3-3, when light rain again caused a delay. The match was suspended at 5-5 for over two hours. It seemed the match might be postponed again, but a break in the weather allowed play to continue.
The long pause seemed to disrupt Hurkacz’s rhythm, and he missed a match point at 6-5. Nakashima fought back to force another tie-break, but Hurkacz secured an early minibreak, which proved decisive. He won the tie-break and the match, advancing to the next round.
Hubi, Hubi, Hubi 🎶#RolandGarros @HubertHurkacz pic.twitter.com/U5ic2UP7Or
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 30, 2024
Hurkacz will next face either Denis Shapovalov or Frances Tiafoe, whose match was also affected by rain delays.
Hubert Hurkacz – Brandon Nakashima 3-1 (6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 7-6)