Hurkacz Advances in Shanghai After Djokovic Upset and Strong Run

Polish tennis player Hubert Hurkacz continued his return to form at the Shanghai Masters on October 13, 2026, facing Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the fourth round after recovering from a recent groin injury. The match offered Hurkacz an opportunity to reach the quarterfinals and build on his breakthrough victory over Novak Djokovic earlier in the tournament.

According to Goal.pl, Hurkacz entered the match ranked 34th in the ATP rankings, while Davidovich Fokina occupied 26th place. The Polish player had already reached the final in Chengdu, the semifinal in Beijing before retiring with an injury, and the fourth round in Shanghai, demonstrating greater consistency in recent weeks.

Live coverage published by Przegląd Sportowy reported that the match began later than initially scheduled because Alexander Zverev and Aleksandr Bublik were playing a three-set contest on the same court. Zverev eventually defeated Bublik 7-6, 4-6, 7-6 before Hurkacz and Davidovich Fokina took the court.

During the opening set, Hurkacz established control through effective serving, including several aces, and aggressive returning. Live updates indicated that he broke Davidovich Fokina's serve twice and built a substantial advantage, putting himself in position to take the set.

The Polish player's recent victory over Djokovic has also drawn attention from tennis commentators. Hurkacz became the first Polish player to defeat the Serbian star, adding another significant win to a career that already includes victories over Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Marek Furjan, speaking on the Studio Sport program, argued that the achievement deserved greater recognition in Poland, particularly given Djokovic's continued competitiveness despite his age.

"I think the achievement faded from the media very quickly," Furjan said. He added that public attention sometimes favors other results over Hurkacz's victory against Djokovic, arguing that the balance of recognition was distorted.

Furjan also challenged attempts to diminish the victory because Djokovic is 39. He noted that the Serbian had reached at least the semifinals in six of his previous eight Grand Slam tournaments, according to comments reported by Sportowe Fakty.

Adam Romer, another commentator featured in the program, emphasized the historical significance of defeating all three members of tennis's celebrated generation of champions: Djokovic, Federer and Nadal.

"Any player, without exception, would put a victory over Federer, Nadal and Djokovic on their resume without a moment's hesitation," Romer said.

Romer also highlighted Hurkacz's record of defeating Nadal on clay, Federer on grass and Djokovic on hard courts. Such victories against three of the sport's most successful players represent a notable career achievement, even though those opponents were no longer at their respective peaks.

Dawid Olejniczak, a Polsat Sport expert, attributed Hurkacz's improved performances to greater consistency and tactical changes under coach Nicolas Cervara, who previously worked with Daniil Medvedev. Olejniczak said Hurkacz had begun approaching the net more frequently and using a more aggressive forehand.

"Hubert has become consistent. That is important because fluctuations in form used to be a problem," Olejniczak said, as reported by Interia.

Olejniczak also pointed to Hurkacz's victory over Chinese player Yi Zhou in Shanghai, describing it as a match the Pole managed to win despite difficulties. He argued that handling challenging matches successfully could help Hurkacz maintain momentum after earlier unexpected defeats.

The expert said Hurkacz's recent progress followed a lengthy period of injury treatment and a return to competition through a Challenger tournament in Cancun, which he won. Before his injury problems, Hurkacz had reached sixth in the ATP rankings and entered the world's top 10.

Olejniczak cautioned that the physical effects of previous injuries could remain a factor, while suggesting that experience and sporting maturity could help compensate. Hurkacz's latest run in Shanghai therefore represents an important test of his ability to sustain consistent results against higher-ranked opponents.