The 2024 season has been a rollercoaster for Hubert Hurkacz. He secured a title at the Estoril Open and reached a career-high ranking of No. 6 in August. However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Following an early exit at the US Open, Hurkacz and his long-time coach Craig Boynton announced their split at the end of August. The duo had worked together since March 2019, achieving significant success, including eight titles and two ATP Masters 1000 victories at the 2021 Miami Open and the 2023 Shanghai Masters.

After parting ways with Boynton, Hurkacz withdrew from the Shanghai Masters and faced another early exit at the Paris Masters, losing to Alex Michelson. This marked the end of his 2024 season. Despite being without a coach for the last two months, Hurkacz recently dropped exciting news on Instagram. He posted a photo of himself on a practice court alongside tennis legends Ivan Lendl and Nicolas Massu, captioning it, “Bring it on, 2025! 💪 #team.” This hints at a promising new direction for his upcoming season.

For context, Lendl is a tennis icon with 94 singles titles and eight Grand Slam titles to his name. He reached No. 1 in the rankings in 1983 and has coached Andy Murray in the past. Massu is also well-regarded, having coached Dominic Thiem since 2019, leading him to his first ATP Masters 1000 title at the BNP Paribas Open that same year.

Both coaches are now available after parting ways with their previous mentees, making this collaboration with Hurkacz a significant development. This change could be just what Hurkacz needs to regain his momentum. Despite his recent setbacks, Hurkacz has maintained a positive outlook. With this new coaching team in place, all eyes will be on him as he prepares for the challenges of the upcoming season.

Earlier this season, Hurkacz came out in support of his fellow Polish player and doubles partner, Iga Swiatek, when she was criticized for her psychologist’s influence on her.

When Hubert Hurkacz defended Iga Swiatek during team rumors

In October, Iga Swiatek faced a challenging moment at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Fans had high hopes for the Roland Garros champion, but her surprising defeat to Qinwen Zheng left her in a tough spot. Determined to bounce back, Swiatek enlisted the help of Naomi Osaka’s former coach, Wim Fissette. However, discussions about her psychologist, Daria Abramowicz, and her role in Swiatek’s coaching split continued to swirl. It was widely believed that Abramowicz had too much influence within Swiatek’s team.

In response to these debates, Hubert Hurkacz stepped forward to defend Swiatek. Speaking with Wyborcza.pl, he shared his own experiences with psychological support in sports. “I also work with a psychologist. And many athletes benefit from such help,” Hurkacz emphasized, underscoring the growing recognition of mental health in sports.

He pointed out that each athlete has unique needs and that a psychologist’s involvement can differ greatly. “This is an individual matter. Every athlete must decide what he needs,” Hurkacz explained. He stressed the importance of communication within a team: “It is important that there is good communication and well-coordinated cooperation in the team: from a masseur, a physiotherapist, a psychologist to a coach.”

This conversation came on the heels of Swiatek’s split with her long-time coach, Tomasz Wiktorowski, with whom she won four Grand Slam titles and an Olympic bronze medal. While it’s unclear if Abramowicz had a direct hand in that decision, her influence within Swiatek’s team is evident.

Coming back to Hurkacz though, as he gears up for his own season with two legendary coaches by his side, do you think he’ll rise to the challenge in 2025? Let us know in the comments below.