Hubert Hurkacz upset Kei Nishikori setting up a fourth round match against Denis Shapovalov at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
Polish rising star Hubert Hurkacz rallied from one set down to edge past Kei Nishikori 4-6 6-4 6-3 advancing to the fourth round at a Masters 1000 event for the first time in his career.
Nishikori converted his only break point in the third game and held his next service games to clinch the first set 6-4.
The second set went on serve with no break points until the ninth game, when Hurkacz saved two chances before holding his serve at deuce. The Pole converted hsi third break point chance on his second deuce to seal the second set 6-4.
Nishikori went up a break on his second chance in the first game of the third set, but Hurkacz broke straight back on his second opportunity at deuce. Nishikori fended off two break point chances to hold his service game at deuce in the fourth game for 2-2, but he dropped his serve in the sixth game with a double fault. Hurkacz held his next two service games to close out the match.
Hurkacz now leads 2-0 in his head-to-head matches against Nishikori. He beat the Japanese player last February in Dubai.
Last year Hurkacz was ranked world number 212 in the ATP Ranking and had not scored a single ATP Tour win. After qualifying for the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan last November Hurkacz has reached the fourth round at a Masters 1000 tournament for the first time in his career. He has reached a career high of world number 67.
Hurkacz will face Canadian Next Gen Denis Shapovalov, who beat Marin Cilic 6-4 6-2 in just 78 minutes. Shapovalov dropped just three service points and saved the two break points he faced.
Shapovalov converted the only break point chance of the first set in the fifth game at deuce for 3-2 and held his next service games at deuce to close out the first set 6-4.
The young Canadian player came back from 30-40 down to break serve in the fifth game at the third deuce for 3-2. He saved a break back point to hold his serve with an ace before breaking for the second time for 5-2. He served out the second set at 30 to secure his spot in the fourth round.
He is bidding to reach his third Masters 1000 semifinal after the Rogers Cup in 2017 and the Madrid Mutua Open in 2018 and his third quarter final of the season after Montpellier and Rotterdam.
