Days after withdrawing from the Beijing semi-finals, Hubert Hurkacz is back on court for the ATP Masters 1000 in Shanghai, facing James Duckworth on Thursday.
The walk off the court in Beijing last Monday felt like a premature end to a promising week. Hubert Hurkacz. struggling with a thigh muscle injury. was forced to retire during his ATP 500 semi-final. leaving his immediate future on the tour in doubt. But the silence didn’t last; the Wroclaw native has opted to push forward. confirming his place in the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Shanghai.
Hurkacz faces Australia’s James Duckworth in the first round this Thursday, October 8. The match is scheduled for the tournament’s center court. listed second in the day’s order of play. which begins at 6:00 a.m. Polish time. Fans will have to wait for the conclusion of the opening match between Kimmer Coppejans of Belgium and Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece before Hurkacz and Duckworth take the stage. pushing the expected start time to roughly 8:00 a.m. Polish time.
The history between the two players leans heavily in the Pole’s favor. Hurkacz holds a 2-0 record against the Australian, having defeated him during the 2021 indoor ATP Masters 1000 event in Paris and again during the 2024 grass-court season at the ATP 500 tournament in Halle.
The stakes for this return are immediate and significant. The winner of the Hurkacz-Duckworth clash will advance to the second round, where Novak Djoković is already waiting. As the tenth-seeded player. the Serbian star received an opening-round bye. setting up a high-profile hurdle for whoever emerges victorious on Thursday.
Viewers can follow the action through Polsat Sport and the Polsat Box Go service, while a live text commentary of the match will be available on the WP SportoweFakty portal.
Hubert Hurkacz ATP Masters 1000 Shanghai tennis James Duckworth Novak Djokovic injury update