Before the United Cup, former World No. 9 Nicolas Massu had a pivotal conversation with his player, Hubert Hurkacz. The Polish tennis star was preparing for his first tournament in seven months, following a knee injury that required surgery last July. Massu’s message was straightforward and encouraging.
“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 a triumphant return 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: The Road to Recovery
“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 his sharp performance inside Ken Rosewall Arena, where he claimed his 20th win against a Top-10 opponent according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, Hurkacz’s journey has been anything but smooth. For two consecutive seasons, he underwent knee surgery, testing his resilience and determination.
“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 explained. “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 Commitment Behind the Comeback
Massu emphasized that Hurkacz has done everything possible to not only recover physically but to prepare for his comeback. From Marbella and Malaga to Monaco and Poland, Hurkacz has worked tirelessly to position himself for moments like those experienced in the past week.
“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 praised. “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, every day followed a rigorous routine of early mornings, late nights, and relentless hard work. There were moments of pain and fatigue, but as Massu explained, “these things are hard.”
“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.”
Looking Ahead: The Path Forward
The two-time Olympic gold medalist returned to Chile for about three months before heading back to Europe in September to assist Hurkacz in resuming on-court training. They approached the process cautiously, prioritizing guidance from Hurkacz’s doctors and physiotherapists, ensuring no rush in his recovery.
“Everything that we needed to do, we were doing, and we were listening to the right people,” Massu said. “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 aspect of Hurkacz’s game that remains unblemished is his serve. Across four sets, he has hit 42 aces and faced just one break point against formidable opponents.
“It’s a big talent,” Massu noted. “Also for sure he works a lot. He put a lot of focus there.”
Massu also highlighted Hurkacz’s all-around capabilities. Standing at 6’5″, the World No. 83 is more than just a powerful 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.”
Hurkacz is just beginning his journey back to the top. While he aims to maintain his impressive form this week in Sydney, the overall comeback is still in its early stages. Massu is confident in his protégé’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.”
