Hurkacz’s Wimbledon resurgence gathers steam after Ruud, Ofner wins
The Pole, chasing his first three-match major streak since 2024, faces Tommy Paul next after back-to-back wins in SW19.
Hubert Hurkacz booked his place in the Wimbledon third round with a 7-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Sebastian Ofner on Monday, his second straight straight-sets win at SW19. The Pole, a 2021 semi-finalist here, had lost eight of his last nine opening matches on tour before this tournament, including a first-round exit at Roland-Garros in June. His comeback run began with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 dismantling of Casper Ruud on Saturday, a result that ended a run of six consecutive ATP losses.
Hurkacz saved six of seven break points against Ofner, converting three of his own to set up a blockbuster last-16 tie against Tommy Paul, who edged past qualifier Marc-Andrea Huesler 6-4, 6-4, 7-6(5) earlier. The Pole’s defensive resilience against Ofner—ranked 23rd in the world—underscored a sharp tactical adjustment: he mixed heavy topspin forehands with sliced backhands to disrupt the Austrian’s rhythm, particularly in rallies longer than eight strokes. This match marked Hurkacz’s 15th grass-court win of 2025, already surpassing his total from all of 2024, and his serve was clinical—14 aces, only one double fault.
