Hurkacz beats Rublev to claim Shanghai Masters title
Shanghai (AP): Hubert Hurkacz claimed his second Masters title in a dramatic final at the Shanghai Masters on Sunday, saving a match point before prevailing 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (8) against Andrey Rublev.
Like he did in his impressive semifinal win over Sebastian Korda, the Polish player's serve was again his strike weapon as he sent down 21 aces and won more than 80% of his first serve points.
Hurkacz struck the first blow of the final with a forehand winner to break Rublev in the sixth game, which proved decisive in taking the opening set.
It was the first set that the 25-year-old Russian player had dropped in the tournament but it seemed to spur him on, as the No. 7-ranked player found his range in the second, hitting 16 winners to force a decider.
As the match tightened, Rublev saved one match point on serve at 4-5 before taking a 5-2 advantage in the third set tiebreaker. Hurkacz responded by firing back-to-back aces before forcing a Rublev error to level at 5-5.
Rublev then earned a match point at 6-5, which Hurkacz saved, before he converted on his fourth chance to take the title after two hours and nine minutes.
"It was such a battle," Hurkacz said. "Especially emotionally. I had a match point and Andrey hit an amazing serve and then he had a match point and then I had some match points. It was back and forth and such a tricky match. Andrey was playing some great shots. I was trying to respond. It was one of those matches and I kept believing and I am super happy with how I managed at the end.
"It is such a big tournament and so much tradition. It is a huge event and I am really happy now."
The 26-year-old has now won seven tour-level titles, with his triumph in Shanghai joining his Masters title win at Miami in 2021.
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“Bleeding on the road, I begged for help but no one came”: Bengaluru woman recounts husband’s death
Bengaluru: A woman in Bengaluru has shared a painful account of how her husband died after they were repeatedly denied medical help and ignored by passersby during a medical emergency, NDTV reported.
The victim, 34-year-old Venkataramanan, a garage mechanic from Balaji Nagar, developed severe chest pain around 3.30 am. His wife immediately took him on a motorcycle in search of medical help.
"He complained about chest pain, and we went to the first hospital. However, the doctor was not on duty. At the second hospital, we were told he had a stroke and to go to another hospital. When we called for ambulance services, they did not respond properly. Humanity failed, but we did our bit by donating his eye." NDTV quoted his wife as saying.
According to the report, after being turned away twice, the couple met with an accident on the road. CCTV footage later showed the woman, covered in blood, pleading with folded hands as vehicles passed by, but no one stopped to help.
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The wait ended after several minutes when a cab driver stopped and rushed Venkataramanan to a nearby hospital. Doctors there declared him dead on arrival.
As per the report, the family decided to donate Venkataramanan’s eyes, giving sight to others even in death.
Venkataraman's mother, who had lost her last surviving child, had no words to express herself: "I have no words. I do not know what to say. My son is gone."
"The government should understand a health emergency. My daughter is left with two children. Who will look after them?" asked his mother-in-law. His wife, mother, and two children, a five-year-old son and an 18-month-old daughter now survive Venkataramanan.
The incident has once again raised serious questions about emergency healthcare access, ambulance response, and public apathy in the city.
