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Poland's Hubert Hurkacz admitted he didn't make a great start to the match but he was glad he managed to lift his game and avoid a shock loss to world No. 571 Aleksandre Metreveli. Hurkacz, ranked at No. 9 in the world, was scheduled to play Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili at the ATP Cup on Monday.
Instead, Basilashili pulled out and Hurkacz took on Metreveli, a player he didn't know much about. Hurkacz was caught a bit off guard as Metreveli won the opening set. However, Hurkacz recovered and beat Metreveli 6-7 (5) 6-3 6-1.
“He played well in the first set and things were not going my way. But I got better with each set and am happy to get the win,” Hurkacz said, per the Atp Cup website. “It was different conditions from the first match on Qudos Bank Arena.
The ball bounced a little higher and faster, so I needed to adapt. But it helped to have the Polish crowd here supporting us. They were great”.
Hurkacz, Kamil Majchrzak lead Poland
In the opening match of the tie, Majchrzak beat Alekasandre Bakshi 6-1 6-1.
"I was trying to move [Bakshi] around and I think that was the key to the match," said Majchrzak. Majchrzak is coached by former world No. 7 Joakim Nystrom and he is thrilled to have the Swede by his side. "He brings me a lot of confidence and a lot of calm in my tennis so I can feel that I am improving,” Majchrzak said.
"We are working on [developing an all-court game] but in a way that doesn't interrupt my baseline game. We will take it from the practice to the matches but it takes time." Poland now has two wins as they beat Greece in their ATP Cup opener. Poland can book a place in the semifinal if they beat Argentina in their last group stage match.