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Thanasi Kokkinakis vs Hubert Hurkacz: ATP Montreal – Second round
Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis will face Hubert Hurkacz in the second round of ATP Montreal.
Thanasi Kokkinakis Profile
Thanasi Kokkinakis is 81st in the ATP rankings, and his career high was No. 65 in the world. The Australian is 27-17 for the season and 13-10 on hard.
Kokkinakis is coming off a 6-3 win over Geal Monfils in the first round in Montreal. Previously, he defeated Roberto Bautista Agut and Roberto Carballes Baena in the qualifying rounds.
Kokkinakis’ best result this season was winning the Challenger in Sarasota.
This is his first appearance in Montreal since 2015.
Hubert Hurkacz Profile
Hubert Hurkacz has the highest ranking of his career, being No. 6 in the world. The Polish player is 35-14 for the season and 11-6 on hard.
Hurkacz is coming back from injury after he retired in the second round of Wimbledon against Arthur Fils.
He won the title in Estoril earlier this season and lost in the final in Halle to Jannik Sinner.
In 2022, Hurkacz lost in the final in Montreal, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, to Pablo Carenno Busta.
Head-to-Head Hurkacz leads 3-1
- Hurkacz vs Kokkinakis 7-6, 6-4 (2023 ATP Shanghai, second round)
- Hurkacz vs Kokkinakis 7-6, 3-6, 7-6 (2023 ATP Cincinnati, second round)
- Hurkacz vs Kokkinakis 6-7, 7-6, 7-6 (2023 ATP Miami, second round)
- Kokkinakis vs Hurkacz 6-2, 7-6 (2018 ATP, qualifiers)
Prediction and Conclusion
Hubert Hurkacz suffered a knee injury at Wimbledon and was forced to miss the last month of the tour, including the Paris Olympics. He has a solid season and is back in Montreal, where he was set away from winning the title the last time he was there. Hurkacz will face Kikkinakis, who went through the qualifiers and has a solid week. It is always a question how prepared a player is coming from an injury, but knowing Hurkacz’s style of play, his serve will be there. The world No. 6 will not force things at the beginning of the match, so Kokkinakis will have his chance. Given all that, this will be a long one, going over 22.5 games in total.