TOP seed Hubert Hurkacz lived up to his pre-tournament billing to take out the Moselle Open in Metz, his third ATP Tour title of the year. The Polish rising star entered 2021 with just one title to his name, but has produced an impressive 29-16 year where he claimed the huge Miami Masters 1000, as well as Delray Beach and now Metz to add to his 2019 title at Winston-Salem.

Only one spot away from his career-high 11th in the world, the 24-year-old won Metz by defeating Spanish second seed Pablo Carreno Busta, reversing the result from their first meeting a month ago in Cincinnati. Remarkably, Hurkacz has also won every ATP Tour final he has competed in, this time being a 7-6 6-3 victory over Carreno Busta. Hurkacz did not drop a set in the tournament but three of his last six sets went to tiebreakers, defeating Peter Gojowczyk, Andy Murray and Lucas Pouille in the lead-up to the final.

“Pablo is an amazing player, so playing against him in the final here is something special,” Hurkacz said post-match. “I needed to raise my level to play my best to be able to compete with him and today I came out on top and I am super, super happy about this.”

The match lasted 81 minutes, as Hurkacz served nine aces to four, and won 79 and 64 per cent of his first and second serve points off a 61 per cent clip. Carreno Busta was also consistent off his serve, winning 57 and 63 per cent of his respective service points off an elite 75 per cent efficiency. the different was Hurkacz breaking four times to two and holding his nerve during the first to win the set in a tiebreaker.

“The atmosphere here is very special here with all of you guys,” Hurkacz said. “You guys [the band] make it an amazing atmosphere, so that is so nice that you guys are here.”

Hurkacz is now in contention for the ATP Tour finals, with the 12th ranked Pole in ninth place overall in the Race to Turin, with a couple of important tournaments – including Indian Wells to come – as he hopes to force his way into the Top 10.

Meanwhile as Hurkacz won his fourth title of the year, South Korean Soonwoo Kwon broke through for his maiden ATP Tour title, claiming the ATP 250 Astana Open event against Australian James Duckworth in a tight 7-6 6-3 result in Nur-Saltan. The 23-year-old saved three set points in the first set tiebreaker to win five consecutive points and come from 3-6 down to win it 8-6, then triumph with a break in the second set to win in one hour and 38 minutes.

“I am really happy to win my first ATP 250 title,” Kwon said post-match. “I am just really, really happy to win today. It was a tough match today against James. He served really well and played very well and I tried to focus every single point.”

Kwon became the first South Korean Tour-level title winner since 2003 when Hyung-Taik Lee lifted the Sydney International trophy. The world number 82 has bolted up 25 spots in the world rankings to now be at a career-high 57th overall. He was made to earn the title, having first overcome Russian qualifier Evgeny Donskoy before facing a host of seeds in the next three matches.

Kwon took down seeded Serbian pair Dusan Lajovic and Laslo Djere, followed by reigning Astana Open finalist and second seed Alexander Bublik in the semis, and finally accounting for Duckworth in the final. The Australian took out compatriot and reigning champion John Millman on the way to the final in the quarter finals, as well as other seeds, Filip Krajinovic and Ilya Ivashka along the way.

Picture credit: ATP Tour