This is the first time the 25-year-old Pole has reached the last four at the Canada Open.
In search of a sixth title on the circuit, he will face in the next round the Norwegian Casper Ruud (N.7) or the Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime (N.9).
"Hubi", revealed last year by his semi-final at Wimbledon and his victory at the Masters 1000 in Miami, promised to be a formidable opponent for Kyrgios, who beat him in June, for their first confrontation, in semi -final of the Halle grass tournament.
And the euphoric Kyrgios, who remained on fifteen successes in sixteen matches since his final at Wimbledon, before winning the title in Washington last week, ending a three-year drought, paid the price.
The first two sets were very tight, the games went by, to the point that neither player could break the other.
Hurkacz was the most solid, especially in defense, in the first decisive game to pocket the first set.
Kyrgios, who often appeared nonchalant in this match and unusually calm, although with his back to the wall, pulled out all the stops in the second tie-break, helped in particular by the net boards to escape 4-2, after a superb series of amortizations and counter-amortizations.
Relaunched the Australian?
Not really.
Kyrgios, who confessed the day before feeling tired from stringing together matches, seemed to complain about his ankles between the second and third set, during which he ran little.
He collapsed in that last run.
© 2022 AFP