The Canadian Open is heating up, and all eyes are on the upcoming clashes, especially the one featuring Hubert Hurkacz. After a challenging hiatus following his leg injury at Wimbledon last month, Hurkacz is back on the court. But standing in his way is none other than the Australian rising star, Thanasi Kokkinakis—a player who’s been making waves and isn’t one to back down easily. Hurkacz got a bye in the first round of the tournament, while his 28-year-old opponent is on a three-match winning streak in Toronto. Hence, the match is indeed going to be an intense showdown!

Thanasi Kokkinakis vs Hubert Hurkacz: Preview

Kokkinakis has won one challenger tournament this year and reached the quarterfinals of another two. Besides, he also played against Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals of the Los Cabos Open. Even in Montreal, he has proved his mettle. In his previous match against Gael Monfils, the Australian outshined his opponent in straight sets.

Hurkacz, on the other hand, has clinched one title to his name this season at the Estoril Open. Besides, he was the runner-up at the Halle Open. But despite the remarkable run, the last match that he played was at Wimbledon where he retired against Arthur Fils in the second round following a leg injury. While playing on hard courts, Hurkacz has an 87.2% winning percentage in service games and a 19.8% winning percentage in return games. Besides, the Pole has converted 73 of 195 (37.4%) break points on all surfaces in his last 10 tournaments.

Kokkinakis vs Hurkacz: Head to Head

Kokkinakis has battled against Hurkacz thrice in his career with all the matches being during ATP 1000 events. But unfortunately, despite the skills he possesses, he has failed to win a single match against him with Hurkacz leading the tally 3-0. 

• 2023 ATP 1000 Masters Miami: Hurkacz 6-7(10), 7-6(7), 7-6(6)
• 2023 ATP 1000 Masters Cincinnati: Hurkacz 7-6(2), 36-, 7-6(1)
• 2023 ATP 1000 Masters Shanghai: Hurkacz 7-6(5), 6-4

Prediction: Hurkacz to increase the led

While Hurkacz is returning after an injury that forced him to miss the Paris Olympics as well, he cannot be taken lightly. The star player is ranked No. 6 in the World and has taken down several great players including Rafael Nadal and Alexander Zverev. Furthermore, his win-loss ratio of 34-14 this year and his motivation to get his form back before the US Open will give him a major boost to outshine the Australian player. 

On the contrary, Kokkinakis has lost more matches than he won with a win-loss ratio of 9-12 this season. Hurkacz is serving up a storm this year with an 87.2% win on service games, and Kokkinakis sits somewhat closer with a 77% win on first serves in his previous match. Therefore, both players will need to rely on returns to overcome the challenge. 

Both have a propensity for the hard courts as they like to hit the ball flat. However, it is the battle of the offensive (Kokkinakis) and the defensive (Hurkacz), which the latter is likely to win. 

The Polish sensation has achieved major success on the hard courts. As the match unfolds, both players are likely to rely upon their forehand and serve to outclass their counterparts. Although Kokkinakis will give a tough competition, it is highly unlikely for him to be the winner against Hurkacz. While the ultimate result of the match can be deciphered with time, what remains certain is an intense showdown!

Prediction: Hurkacz to win in straight sets!