Hurkacz sent Federer into retirement: ‘It was an honor’

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Blick: Hubert Hurkacz, can you remember the result of your Wimbledon performance on July 7, 2021?
Hubert Hurkacz: (Laughs) Not exactly. I played against Roger Federer in the quarterfinals. But the outcome of the first sentence escapes me.

They won 6:3, 7:6, 6:0. It was Federer’s last match as a professional, apart from his farewell appearance at the 2022 Laver Cup.
Yes, I will never forget that: I thought it was incredible to play against Roger at Wimbledon. And then also on Center Court, against my role model. Roger has given so much to tennis. It was an honor for me.

They said at the time that this success felt like a tournament victory. Have you spoken to Federer again since then?
Yes, I saw him at the Laver Cup in Vancouver this year and most recently in Shanghai. But my victory at the time was not the topic of our conversation. (smiles)

You beat him in his living room at Wimbledon, now you’re in his second room – in Basel. What are you doing here?
Well, first I’m going to eat a nice meal. I don’t know where yet. But you will definitely find a nice place in this city.

They eat a vegan diet. Has it become easier to maintain this diet on tour?
Yes, I think the tournaments and the restaurants have made a big step in this regard. I have no problem eating well. But I would no longer call myself vegan. It goes more in the pescatarian direction. I also eat fish occasionally.

Back to the sport: you come to Basel with the Masters title from Shanghai in your pocket. Are we currently seeing the best “Hubi” of all time?
I hope not. It would be nice if there was an even better version of me in the future. Sure, I’m playing pretty good tennis right now. But I want to get better every day. Also here in Basel.

You have always described Federer as your biggest inspiration. What about your compatriot Iga Swiatek (22), who was number one in the world for a long time until the summer of this year?
Of course she also pushes me a lot. We try to support each other, we have already played mixed doubles together, which was a lot of fun. And we always write to each other when someone is successful again. But Iga wins so much, so it’s mostly up to me to send her messages.

Federer is now missing in Basel. At 38 years old, Stan Wawrinka is still fit and hungry. What do you think of Stan de Man?
He is also one of the legends of this sport. His backhand is simply fantastic. He plays with so much power that it is pure pleasure to play against him. Plus he’s a great person. It’s great that we were able to train together here in Basel.

You are considered a big sports fan. Your parents were swimmers, you also played basketball, did gymnastics – and you enjoy car racing and snooker. Which sport do you actually have no connection with?
Well, I even started playing golf recently. (Laughs) I just like exercise in general. I like being outside in nature. That’s why I love golf so much. And…

… Yes?
I’m a big fan of Formula 1. I follow every race. If I can’t watch it live, I watch it on replay. Charles Leclerc is my favorite.

Source : Blick