In-Form Hurkacz Looks Forward To Big-Stage Tennis In Milan

Entering the final Next Gen ATP Finals qualification week of the season at 11th in the ATP Race To Milan, Hubert Hurkacz's chances of making it to the Fiera Milano appeared to be slim as he began his week on the ATP Challenger Tour in Brest.

But after Ugo Humbert's withdrawal and Michael Mmoh's first-round loss, Hurkacz seized his opportunity by capturing his second Challenger trophy of the season (d. Berankis) to move into the first alternate spot. After the withdrawal of Denis Shapovalov, due to exhaustion, Hurkacz will make his debut at the 21-and-under event with form and confidence.

"It means a lot to me [to play in Milan]," said Hurkacz. "It will build my confidence. It is a different kind of tournament with only eight players there, so it will be awesome to play there."

Following in the footsteps of his mother, Zocia, a former Polish national tennis champion, Hurkacz has taken his game to the new heights this year with two ATP Challenger Tour title runs. The 6'5" right-hander first triumphed in his home country at the Poznan Challenger in June, where he made his ambitions clear after dropping just two games to beat Taro Daniel in the championship match.

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As the only Polish player ranked inside the Top 200 in the ATP Rankings, the 21-year-old Wroclaw native is pleased to have the support of countryman and World No. 4 doubles star Lukasz Kubot as he begins life on the ATP World Tour. Alongside Roger Federer, Kubot was one of Hurkacz's biggest inspirations as he grew up with dreams of competing on the biggest stages the sport has to offer.

"Kubot helped me a lot, so that was nice from him," said Hurkacz. "We stay in touch now when we are in tournaments and we often go for dinner. It is nice to be [with him] because he is a great guy and an unbelievable player... It is always nice to talk with a guy who has so much experience on the Tour, so I am trying to learn as much as I can."

With the opportunity to showcase his tennis to a wider audience at the Next Gen ATP Finals, Hurkacz looks set to thrive in front of a passionate crowd at the Fiera Milano. Riding the wave of his Challenger triumph in Brest, with the opportunity to test his abilities against tour-level titlists Stefanos Tsitsipas, Frances Tiafoe and Andrey Rublev, Hurkacz could be ready to spring a surprise when he makes his debut in Milan.

"I love competing and playing tennis," said Hurkacz. "Especially if you can play on the big stages, it is even more fun to play in the biggest arenas against the best opponents."