Hubert Hurkacz enjoyed his best result of his career at Wimbledon in 2021, when he reached the semifinals, defeating eight-time champion Roger Federer in the quarters, which was the Swiss’s final singles match of his career. The 27-year-old Pole enters his sixth grass court appearance with a 10-5 Wimbledon record.
ATPtour.com sat down with World No. 7 in the PIF ATP Rankings to hear about his earliest memories from the All England Club and which venues he enjoys the most.
[ATP APP]What is your first memory of watching Wimbledon?
Just seeing the grass there and the whole place as a child. I just think, ‘Maybe one day I’ll get a chance to play on this field.’ I watched it as a kid on TV, maybe watching Roger win. The first time I went to Wimbledon was when I was 17 years old studying for my first junior Grand Slam.
Is there anything you remember watching?
I don’t have such a good memory. I think maybe [Federer 2009] match Andy Roddick, that’s coming.
When you first played at Wimbledon, what were your first thoughts about the atmosphere?
I think when I got there for the first time, I was overwhelmed by everything. The whole atmosphere, how green it looked, how well the grass was managed and how nice it was to play on those beautiful grounds with so much history there.
Do you have a favorite Wimbledon tradition?
I think of white clothes. Everything looks so clean there. Flowers around the courts, the whole set. The players’ area has great views of the fields. The locker rooms are seeded, the best locker rooms on Tour. The whole universe is out there. The people who work there in the changing rooms, they are very nice people and we have a good relationship with them. The whole atmosphere from the beginning to the end of the experience, is really good.
Have you ever been in trouble for what you wore to Wimbledon?
No, I don’t remember. I managed to get the white one before going there.
What was your best moment playing at Wimbledon?
Definitely my biggest moment was playing Roger at Wimbledon. That was just an amazing experience, hearing the crowd roar when he walked into the court. Just being there and experiencing it, this moment will stay with me forever. It was really special.
What is your favorite thing about playing on the lawn?
The diving is excellent. You can’t really dive on a clay court! I usually try to avoid it.
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