Jordan Thompson defeats seventh seed Hubert Hurkacz to reach US Open third round | Tennis

Jordan Thompson has claimed his biggest win yet at the 2024 US Open, continuing Australia’s flying start and reaching the third round in New York.

Thompson dispatched world number seven Hubert Hurkacz with a sporting 7-6 (7-2) 6-1 7-5 victory to join fellow Sydney player Alexei Popyrin in the last 32 at Flushing Meadows.

After missing out on a Grand Slam seeding by just one spot for the first time, Thompson has taken matters into his own hands to give himself a big chance of going deep.

The 30-year-old will now face Italian Matteo Arnaldi, who is looking to win his best Grand Slam tournament ever in New York in 2020 and reach the fourth round.

Arnaldi is ranked just two places above Thompson, at No. 30 in the world.

Hurkacz, who rose to fame for ending Roger Federer’s Wimbledon career, appeared to have the match under control early in the match, taking a 5-2 lead in the first set.

But Thompson, proudly decked out in Australian green and gold, stepped forward.

He broke back in the ninth game, before winning the first set in a tiebreak.

Thompson won the second set with ease, but the Pole fought back in the third set.

Thompson had to use two serve techniques to get out of trouble when he was down two break points to keep Hurkacz at bay. He eventually held his nerve and decided the match in two hours and 23 minutes in three sets.

Seventh-seeded Hurkacz is the highest-ranked player ever to retire from the men’s tournament.

On the fourth day, five more Australians were scheduled for the second round, including tenth-seeded Alex de Minaur against Finnish qualifier Otto Virtanen.

Thanasi Kokkinakis, Chris O’Connell, Max Purcell and wildcard Tristan Schoolkate are also vying for a place in the last 32.