Hurkacz knocks out 11th seed Ruud in round one

Another surprise result has arrived in the Wimbledon first round. Hubert Hurkacz, ranked 96th in the world, produced superior tennis on grass against 11th seed Casper Ruud, getting past his opponent in straight sets to book a place in the second round of the main draw. Hurkacz won the two-hour, four-minute match 6-4, 6-2, 7-6.

In control across the first two sets, Hurkacz gave his opponent little room with his powerful serve and aggressive play. Having taken the first set 6-4, the Pole stretched his advantage in the second to lead 2-0 with a 6-2 scoreline. Ruud raised his resistance in the third, but it was not enough to take the set; the match went to a tie-break, and Hurkacz closed it out by winning a tightly contested breaker 9-7.

The result was another reminder of Hurkacz's record on grass, a surface where he is always a dangerous name; the Pole has reached the semi-finals at this tournament in the past. His effectiveness on serve and the pressure he created on return were the factors that decided the difference throughout. For world No. 12 Ruud, on the other hand, the result is a heavy disappointment; despite his high ranking, the Norwegian could not make the start he wanted on grass, struggled to convert his break-point chances, and bowed out in the first round. The statistics show Hurkacz standing out in winners and at the key moments. Through to the second round, Hurkacz aims to keep his tournament bid alive.

By the numbers (Ruud-Hurkacz): Score 4-6, 2-6, 6-7(7) · Winners 25-37 · Unforced errors 30-20 · Break points won 1/2 - 4/16 · 1st serve points won 73%-82% · 2nd serve points won 31%-54% · Time 2:04

Image: Tennis World USA