WHAT HAPPENED: Recognized as one of the ATP Tour’s top doubles players, Jordan Thompson is making a name for himself in singles at the 2024 US Open this week.
On Thursday, the unseeded Australian scored his career’s biggest Grand Slam win by toppling big serving No. 7 seed Hubert Hurkacz, 7-6, 6-1, 7-5, to reach the third round at Flushing Meadows for the second time.
Thompson is ranked No. 13 in doubles, teaming with his fellow Aussie Max Purcell to win four titles this season and reaching the Wimbledon final. Seeded No. 7, the tandem won its opening round match yesterday.
But, on this day, Thompson shined on his own. After a sluggish start when he trailed 5-3, the 30-year-old played a near flawless all-court game to defuse the Polish star’s power game. He broke one of the game’s biggest servers four times and when he had the chance, he was the aggressor hitting 36 winners and 13 aces.
Opening Day 4 play in Stadium 17 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center grounds under cool temperatures and clouds, Thompson needed two hours and 23 minutes to send the 2021 Wimbledon semifinalist to a seventh second-round exit at the year’s last Grand Slam.
The first two sets took less than an hour before the third set reached a tension-filled climax. Serving at 4-5, Thompson needed to save a set point with a bold forehand winner. He then got the needed break when at 30-40 Hurkacz put a sloppy forehand wide.
Thompson wrapped up the win from 30-30 in the next game when Hurkacz missed a forehand and then netted a backhand on the first match point.
WHAT IT MEANS: Thompson is playing as well as he is should not be that surprising. He has the all-around game that should be well suited to the US Open hard courts. The 30-year-old Australian had his career best Grand Slam singles result here in reaching the fourth round in 2020.
He had a strong summer on the hard court run-up to Flushing Meadows, making the Atlanta final and the Washington quarterfinals.
However, there was a little question mark about his fitness as he had to retire in Cincinnati with a rib injury.
MATCH POINT: Thompson is one of the few high-ranked singles players who is also playing doubles. The last man to win both US titles in the same year was John McEnroe in 1979 and 1981. Is there any chance Thompson could do the same?
