11:23
Hubert Hurkacz – Sebastian Korda 6:3, 0:0
Korda briefly disappeared into the catacombs during the break, but doesn’t seem completely satisfied yet. After the first lost point, he regains some self-confidence – with a strong forehand winner inside out.
11:21
Sentence conclusion
In a five-game, very even duel between the strong serving giants Hubert Hurkacz and Sebastian Korda, a strong phase in the middle of the first set was enough for the more experienced Pole to win it. Hurkacz took ten out of eleven points in this phase, Korda was unable to break again afterwards. While the two have similar winning percentage numbers, Korda made too many avoidable mistakes. Incidentally, eleven aces have already been hit, with Hurkacz having one more on his account (6:5).
11:18
Hubert Hurkacz – Sebastian Korda 6:3
Standing at the net, Korda then puts a feasible volley into it, with which Hurkacz converts his first of three set points.
11:17
Hubert Hurkacz – Sebastian Korda 5:3
But the Pole has now found his rhythm with his own serve and fires another ace onto the hard court. Two more first serves come so well that he can then hit the forehand winner.
11:16
Hubert Hurkacz – Sebastian Korda 5:3
After the next good serve, Korda moves forward and can force his opponent’s mistake with a briskly played backhand slice from a good position. Good answer to Hurkacz’s previous points series!
11:15
Hubert Hurkacz – Sebastian Korda 5:2
Hurkacz has won ten of the last eleven points, now Korda is gaining some self-confidence through strong serves. One service winner, two aces – 40:30.
11:14
Hubert Hurkacz – Sebastian Korda 5:2
Only a few rallies brought this sentence to the European Hurkacz’s side; Korda had actually done a good job in the first few games. Now he hits a cross forehand into the touchline and a backhand shot into the net. Is the 23-year-old unsettled?
11:13
Hubert Hurkacz – Sebastian Korda 5:2
And the 26-year-old confirms this break in no time, winning his service game to zero with two aces, among other things.
11:12
Hubert Hurkacz – Sebastian Korda 4:2
And now the number 17 in the world is taking action! He dominates the rally and finally thunders a forehand longline into the field, Korda’s high defensive backhand shot flies out of bounds. Break for the Pole!
11:11
Hubert Hurkacz – Sebastian Korda 3:2
Korda coolly defends with an ace to the outside, but lets a passing shot from Hurkacz fly in the following rally – believing that the ball will sail out of bounds. Because the yellow felt ball hits the baseline, there is the second break ball for Hurkacz.
11:09
Hubert Hurkacz – Sebastian Korda 3:2
This is how the game continues. And Korda doesn’t really get it over and leaves another ball lying around. Because a backhand then flies out of bounds, the 26-year-old has the first chance to break.
11:08
Hubert Hurkacz – Sebastian Korda 3:2
Korda actually does this strongly, sends Hurkacz far into the forehand corner and can finally put the smash winner into the orphaned side. Or? Hurkacz doubts that the smash ball, which was placed a little too riskily, scratched the sideline and is proven right in the challenge due to millimeters.
11:07
Hubert Hurkacz – Sebastian Korda 3:2
Hurkacz saves his debut thanks to a good backhand slice. The Pole advances to the net, but is surprised by Korda with a flat and powerful shot. Hurkacz can’t react quickly enough and doesn’t get the volley over the net. Advantage on and play ball Korda.
11:05
Hubert Hurkacz – Sebastian Korda 3:2
The point at 30:30 was also built up great with a forehand of good length and finished strongly with a backhand stop. However, an incorrect return puts the Pole back behind in the return game.
11:04
Hubert Hurkacz – Sebastian Korda 3:2
Two service winners from Korda start his service game, then Hurkacz counters and even gets a thumbs up from his American opponent. Because a backhand lob falls right to the baseline, strong!
11:01
Hubert Hurkacz – Sebastian Korda 3:2
Hurkacz has so far been left behind in the rallies, but now attacks a ball early and welds a great forehand winner inside out onto the court. Because Korda then returns cross into touch, another complicated service game goes to the Pole.
10:59
Hubert Hurkacz – Sebastian Korda 2:2
Korda also fends off Hurkacz’s second ball, this time spectacularly! At full speed, he passes Hurkacz with a forehand longline winner and places the ball almost perfectly on the sideline.
10:58
Hubert Hurkacz – Sebastian Korda 2:2
The 26-year-old Pole puts a forehand out of bounds longline and has to go over the deuce again.
10:57
Hubert Hurkacz – Sebastian Korda 2:2
Korda’s second return winner! This time he sends the backhand return perfectly placed down the line. Hurkacz’s answer: an ace through the middle. 40:30.
10:56
Hubert Hurkacz – Sebastian Korda 2:2
After Hurkacz’s serve, Korda is nimble to the outside and turns back into the middle, the Pole anticipates this well and hits the forehand winner against the direction of travel.
10:55
Hubert Hurkacz – Sebastian Korda 2:2
A backhand that is too low doesn’t hurt Korda too much, because with two aces and thanks to a return that is too wide from Hurkacz, he still ensures a clear service game. 2:2.
10:53
Hubert Hurkacz – Sebastian Korda 2:1
Very strong from both! Korda makes a serve to the outside and advances directly, but Hurkacz returns cheekily and flatly. The American still puts the complicated half-volley just right behind the net.
10:51
Hubert Hurkacz – Sebastian Korda 2:1
After that, the Pole’s serves were too powerful, and a service winner made it 2-1 after a close service game.
10:50
Hubert Hurkacz – Sebastian Korda 1:1
Korda does this well in the return against Hurkacz’s particularly strong first serves, although he can’t get a return over the net here and there, but otherwise builds up the rally well early on. So he thunders a forehand winner inside out onto the court.
10:49
Hubert Hurkacz – Sebastian Korda 1:1
Under pressure for the first time, Hurkacz freed himself from the situation with good serves and was able to turn it around to 40:30 with two service winners. Then Korda plays another nasty return, the advancing Hurkacz plays a backhand slice too far.
10:48
Hubert Hurkacz – Sebastian Korda 1:1
Korda overcomes Hurkacz with a first strong return winner, the Pole then throws a forehand out of bounds. 3:30 p.m.
10:47
Hubert Hurkacz – Sebastian Korda 1:1
Korda also impresses with the service afterwards. Once he goes to serve and volley and does it successfully. He also hits two service winners and draws the score to 1:1.
10:45
Hubert Hurkacz – Sebastian Korda 1-0
By the way, it is also a duel between two giants: Hurkacz measures 1.96 m, Korda is only three centimeters shorter. After a volley winner at the start of his service game, the US boy tries a tweener after a lob from his opponent, but is not successful. 15 both.
10:42
Hubert Hurkacz – Sebastian Korda 1-0
Korda appears at the net in the second rally, but does not push a volley over the net. Two returns that were too wide later, the service game was decided in favor of the Pole.
10:41
Hubert Hurkacz – Sebastian Korda 0-0
Let’s go! Hurkacz serves first and starts with an easy point win. By serving outwards, he sends Korda far into the forehand corner and then shoots the backhand winner onto the free side.
10:38
Head to head
The players entered the court, Korda won the coin toss and elected to receive. Time to take a quick look at the head-to-head balance sheet. It’s 1:1, more than two and a half years ago Hurkacz won a duel. At the beginning of the year, however, Korda won a five-set thriller in the match tie-break at the Australian Open.
10:36
Race to Turin
While Korda only has a small outside chance of reaching the ATP Finals despite many possible points in Shanghai, Hurkacz can still have slight hopes. In the live Race to Turin he is in 15th place and could move up to 11th place with a tournament win, and would then only be around 300 points behind eighth place, which would be enough for qualification.
10:32
Five semi-finals
Despite his injury break at the beginning of the year, Korda has since played his way into his fifth semi-final – one more than Hurkacz. The American was only able to reach the final once, can he make it a second time today?
10:28
Good form
Hurkacz was particularly strong on the North American tour and had Alcaraz on the verge of defeat at the Masters tournaments in Cincinnati and Toronto in the round of 16 and semi-finals, but ultimately lost. The second round exit at the US Open was accordingly disappointing, but Hurkacz is now continuing his good form since Wimbledon in Shanghai.
10:23
Masters title against semi-final debut
Of course, Hurkacz, who has already celebrated a Masters title in 2021 in Miami, has more experience in this duel. He has five more tournament victories at ATP level. His opponent today has only won one 250cc tournament on the tour and is even in a Masters semi-final for the first time.
10:13
Medvedev conqueror
Now the first major task awaits Sebastian Korda; the American has been performing well in Shanghai so far. Although there were already very tough opponents waiting in the round of 16 and round three in the form of the Argentinian Cerundolo and, above all, the world number three Medvedev, Korda did not give up a set in the first three matches. Things got close in the quarterfinals, but Korda deservedly won the thrilling US duel against the youngster Shelton in the tiebreak of the third set.
10:08
Simple program
For Hubert Hurkacz, the path to the Masters semi-finals was not particularly difficult; in his four games so far he has not faced an opponent from the seeding list. Hurkacz defeated the Australian Kokkinakis and the Taiwanese Hsu in two sets; the Pole had to go the full distance against Zhang and Marozsan.
10:02
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to the first semi-final of the Shanghai Masters! Hubert Hurkacz and Sebastian Korda meet at 10:30 a.m.