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Polish 14th seed says Federer is 'a big inspiration'

Hubert Hurkacz says that he won’t be overawed on Wednesday when he meets his childhood idol, Roger Federer, the eight-time former champion, in the Wimbledon quarter-finals.

In fact, the 24-year-old Pole believes that completing his rain-interrupted 2-6, 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 fourth-round victory over World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev on No. 1 Court will help him.

“Playing Roger on a huge, huge arena, is something special,” said Hurkacz. “I enjoy it when a lot of people are coming and enjoying the match, having fun out there. I think that's what I love about the game.

“Playing today might have helped me, because I got used to the indoor conditions, the conditions on the big court. How the ball bounces there, all the crowd.

“I think that actually can help me in my next match… [but] I need to be prepared tactically. I'll speak to my coach [Craig Boynton] and we'll be as ready as we can for tomorrow.”

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Hurkacz has grown in confidence over the past few weeks and returned to the kind of form that helped him capture his first ATP Masters 1000 crown at the Miami Open presented by Itau (d. Sinner) in early April.

He partnered fellow Wimbledon quarter-finalist Felix Auger-Aliassime, who plays Matteo Berrettini on Wednesday, to the NOVENTI OPEN doubles final in Halle (l. to Krawietz/Tecau) two weeks ago.

While Federer beat Hurkacz 6-4, 6-4 in their only previous meeting at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, the World No. 18 was full of praise for the Swiss superstar.

“Roger is a special player,” said Hurkacz. “What he's achieved throughout his whole career, it's unbelievable. The way he plays is also special. Being out there playing [in the] quarter-finals against him, it's really amazing. But obviously, I'm out there to play my best and give myself the best chance of winning the match.

"He was a big inspiration for me. The success that he had, the way he played, how he plays in the important moment, it's really special… I think the sport grew massively over his whole career with the way he is, with the [kind of] the person he is.”