Hubert Hurkacz defeated Alejandro Tabilo 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) in the ATP 1000 tournament in Montreal in heat exceeding 30 degrees Celsius. Hurkacz, ranked 72nd globally and a 2022 Montreal finalist, entered as a slight favorite over 26th-ranked Tabilo, whose higher ranking followed Hurkacz's injury break.
Tabilo broke Hurkacz in the second service game to show his threat early. The left-handed Chilean stands 191 cm tall against the 196 cm Hurkacz. Hurkacz holds a 34-11 record against southpaws, though one of his two most surprising losses this year was to left-hander Martin Damm, ranked 211th, in Montpellier during Hurkacz's second individual event after six months out.
Hurkacz broke back in the next game as Tabilo landed only 44 percent of his first serves and made double faults. Tabilo usually serves solidly using long levers, much like Hurkacz.
Tabilo's Background and Playstyle
Early in his training in Florida, Tabilo almost ended his career because he could not manage his weight. Over 70 percent of adults in the United States have obesity or overweight, with restaurant portions containing 1,200 to 1,350 calories before a bucket of soda and a pickup-tire-sized donut. Medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro offer help today, but Tabilo solved his weight by moving out of the United States.
Born in Toronto to Chilean immigrants, Tabilo represented Canada while training at Florida's IMG and LAT academies. At age 18, a trip to his parents' homeland defined his identity and led him to move to Santiago to emulate Marcelo Rios and Nicolas Massu. Tabilo remains in conflict with his father while his parents remain in Toronto.
Coincidentally, Tabilo faced Hurkacz, who recently trained under Massu. Tabilo does not play like Massu, a defensive warrior, or Rios, a master of tennis geometry. He is an ultra-offensive left-hander who arrived in strong form after a semifinal run in Washington, where he beat world No. 14 Ben Shelton. Five of Tabilo's seven matches after Wimbledon went three sets.
Second Set and Tie-Break
Hurkacz broke Tabilo at 5-4 to take the first set unexpectedly. Tabilo quickly took a 2-0 lead in the second set and held serve until late in the set.
This match was only Hurkacz's second since suffering a severe knee injury and surgery at Wimbledon last year. His six-month rehabilitation caused service uncertainty during his opening Montreal match against Marcos Giron, ranked 81st, where Hurkacz dropped a set, and led to a brief drop in form early in the second set against Tabilo.
Hurkacz rallied to break back for 4-4, then held serve to force Tabilo to serve to stay in the match. Tabilo held for 5-5, but at 6-5 and 40-30, Hurkacz held match point on his racket and hit the net. He missed a second match point immediately after, sending the set into a tie-break.
A double fault by Tabilo at the start of the tie-break helped Hurkacz lead 4-1 and 5-1. Hurkacz missed his first of three match points at the net, but won the second after a strong rally to take the tie-break 7-4. Hurkacz next plays the winner between world No. 6 Daniil Medvedev and world No. 70 Botic van de Zandschulp in the fourth round.
