Before the United Cup, former World No. 9 Nicolas Massu shared a pivotal conversation with his player, Hubert Hurkacz. The Polish tennis star was gearing up for his first tournament in seven months following knee surgery last July. Massu’s message was simple yet profound.
“Enjoy the competition again,” Massu advised Hurkacz. “Look back at where you’ve been, and all that you passed already in the past seven months. You deserve to be here. Appreciate that. Enjoy the moment. Go step by step, not thinking too much about the results.”
Since then, Hurkacz has made an impressive start to his comeback in Sydney, securing straight-sets victories against World No. 3 Alexander Zverev and Tallon Griekspoor, propelling Poland to the quarter-finals of the mixed-teams event.
Overcoming Adversity: A Journey of Patience and Strength
“I’m really, really happy because we had difficult times. And when you are out of competition for seven months — it is a lot of time — you need to be patient,” Massu reflected. “You need to be strong. It’s not too easy because sometimes you want to just start to think about the tournaments. You are missing weeks and then there is a slow recovery.”
Despite Hurkacz’s sharp performance inside Ken Rosewall Arena, claiming his 20th win against a Top-10 opponent according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, the journey has been anything but smooth. The Pole has endured knee surgeries in two consecutive seasons.
“It’s not easy to maintain the faith all the time because the days are long, it’s a lot of treatment, a lot of recovery,” Massu said. “But at the same time, I’m totally convinced — because I had this in my so many years of Tour, so many years in tennis — that at some point, if you keep strong and you believe and you work hard, you deserve it.”
The Road to Recovery: A Testament to Dedication
Massu emphasized that Hurkacz has been diligent in his recovery, not only physically but mentally preparing for his return. From Marbella and Malaga to Monaco and Poland, Hurkacz has worked tirelessly to position himself for success.
“It’s incredible, the work ethic of Hubi. He follows everything 100 percent. If he has to do this, he does that and more,” Massu noted. “It’s not only on the court, it’s outside of the court: how he takes care of the food, of the treatment, all the stretching. So I think that when you work like this, the [positive] things need to come back. You deserve to have these kinds of results.”
For Hurkacz, each day was a test of endurance. Early mornings, late nights, and relentless hard work characterized his routine. There were inevitable moments of pain and fatigue, but Massu’s guidance was unwavering.
“My experience from my life and from my tennis career is that everything that is strong against you or sometimes it is dark, at the end of the tunnel, you see the light,” Massu said. “You need to keep the faith.”
A Bright Future: The Power of Belief and Talent
The two-time Olympic gold medalist returned to Chile for about three months before rejoining Hurkacz in Europe in September to resume on-court training. They proceeded cautiously, heeding the advice of Hurkacz’s medical team and prioritizing health over haste.
“Everything that we needed to do, we were doing, and we were listening to the right people,” Massu explained. “We were strong in the difficult moments and I think that the whole thing for me, from my point of view, that I wanted, is to see him again on the court competing.”
One of Hurkacz’s enduring strengths is his serve. In Sydney, he has hit 42 aces across four sets and faced just one break point against formidable opponents.
“It’s a big talent,” Massu said. “Also for sure he works a lot. He put a lot of focus there.”
Massu also highlighted Hurkacz’s versatility, noting that despite his towering 6’5″ frame, he is more than just a big server.
“I think that he’s a very complete player. I still believe that he can play even on clay the same level as on hard court,” Massu said. “And of course, we need to improve some little details that can bring him again to fight in the top of the top. But the most important is the health, I still believe that if he’s healthy, we can achieve good things.”
As Hurkacz continues his journey, the early success in Sydney is just the beginning. Massu remains confident in his player’s potential.
“I always believe that nothing is impossible if you maintain the work ethic, if you maintain your positive mind,” Massu said. “At some point, you will recover.”
With resilience and determination as his guides, Hurkacz is poised to make a significant impact in the tennis world once again.
