Bautista Agut wins thriller to put Spain into ATP Cup final

Spain will meet either Russia or Canada in the final on Sunday

Roberto bautista Agut and Pablo Carreño Busta, ATP Cup 2022

Tennis – ATP Cup – Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney, Australia – January 7, 2022 Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut celebrates with teammates after winning his semi final match against Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz || 217103_0101

Simon Cambers

January 7, 2022

ATP Cup, Sydney / Results / Standings / Schedule

Roberto Bautista Agut won a thrilling encounter with Hubert Hurkacz on Friday to send Spain into the final of the ATP Cup.

Hurkacz saved five match points but Bautista Agut won the deciding-set tiebreak 7-5 to secure a 7-6 (6), 2-6, 7-5 win over the Pole and seal a 2-0 victory. Pablo Carreno Busta put them ahead early on with a 6-2, 6-1 win against Jan Zielinski.

Spain will play the winner of Saturday’s second semi-final between Russia and Canada.

🇪🇸 Spanish Sensation 🇪🇸@BautistaAgut defeats Hubert Hurkacz 7-6(6), 2-6, 7-6(5) to win the tie and send #TeamSpain into the 2022 #ATPCup final. pic.twitter.com/AeG8IvflkT
— ATPCup (@ATPCup) January 7, 2022

“It’s a match that I will always remember,” Bautista Agut said, after extending his perfect record in this year’s competition. “I think both of us could get the win today. He also really deserved a lot of good things. But this is our game, this is tennis. Today I was the one who got the win. I think I also deserved it. I did a lot of good things on the court.

“Sometimes you get the win on the first [match] point. He played two or three lines in a row, but sometimes you stay focused like today, you keep working and finally you lose the tie-break,” Bautista Agut said. “But today I kept working and I got the win.”