Hubert Hurkacz completes incredible Federer-Nadal double with victory over Rafa in Rome

Hubert Hurkacz has taken out Rafael Nadal in Rome, 6-1, 6-3, in what the Spaniard has said will be his final appearance at the Foro Italico.

And Hurkacz’s straight-set victory over the King of Clay in the Italian capital on Saturday has unlocked a very rare achievement.

Having previously beaten Roger Federer in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon in 2021, 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-0, Hurkacz has now beaten Federer in straight sets on grass and Nadal in straight sets on clay.

He’s just the second man ever to achieve that incredible feat, and the other name probably isn’t the one you’re assuming.

It’s Andy Murray, who has one straight-set victory over Federer on grass (6-2, 6-1, 6-4 in the final of the 2012 London Olympics) and two straight-set victories over Nadal on clay (6-3, 6-2 in the final of Madrid in 2015 and 7-5, 6-4 in the semifinals of Madrid in 2016).

Even beating Federer on grass and Nadal on clay in however many sets is a rare feat in itself, with Hurkacz being just the fifth player to do it after Novak Djokovic, Murray, Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev.

And for those wondering, Djokovic has beaten Nadal in straight sets on clay multiple times—but never Federer in straight sets on grass. He is, however, the only player to beat Federer three times on grass.

PLAYERS TO BEAT FEDERER ON GRASS AND NADAL ON CLAY:
Djokovic [Nadal 8 times on clay, Federer 3 times on grass]
Murray [Nadal 2 times on clay, Federer 1 time on grass]
Thiem [Nadal 4 times on clay, Federer 1 time on grass]
Zverev [Nadal 1 time on clay, Federer 1 time on grass]
Hurkacz [Nadal 1 time on clay, Federer 1 time on grass]

Hurkacz finished with more than twice as many winners as unforced errors on Saturday, 23 to 10, while Nadal was a roughly even 19 to 20. But the biggest difference between the two came on break point opportunities, with the Pole going 4/7 but the Spaniard going 0/7.

It was Hurkacz’s first win in Rome since the fall edition of the event in 2020—he had lost his opening match the last three years in a row.

Awaiting the No. 7 seed in the third round will be No. 25 seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry, a 6-3, 7-5 winner over Thiago Seyboth Wild.

Hurkacz and Etcheverry will be playing each other for the first time.