After an entertaining start to the week in Turin, the exciting action should continue on day three at the season-ending ATP Finals. After opening day defeats for Hubert Hurkacz and Matteo Berrettini (via his retirement), both men will be well-aware of the importance of getting a win on the board on day three. But who will come out on top in this crunch clash?
ATP Finals Day 3 Prediction
Matteo Berrettini vs Hubert Hurkacz
Head-to-head: Berrettini 2-1 Hurkacz
Hurkacz, making his debut at the ATP Finals, made a good start to his campaign against Daniil Medvedev, winning the first set in a tiebreak, only for the Russian – as he so often does – to turn the screws in the second and third sets. Hurkacz still enjoyed some good moments, but he just couldn’t consistently find a way through Medvedev’s defences as the world #2 and 2020 champion recorded an ultimately deserved 6-7 6-3 6-4 victory.
Berrettini, meanwhile, saw his opening match end in heartbreak. Playing in front of an Italian crowd in conditions that looked favourable to his aggressive approach, Berrettini narrowly lost the first set to Alexander Zverev, but remained very much in the contest. Until an abdominal injury struck him down that is. The world #7 eventually left the court in tears, having tried and failed to continue, and there are now real doubts about whether he will be able to play any further part in this event.
Were it not for that injury, he would surely come into this match as the favourite. Hurkacz is a fine all-court player, and clearly at home in indoor conditions, but he has generally thrived on slower surfaces than the court in Turin. Berrettini, in contrast, is never better than on low-bouncing, lightening-fast courts thanks to his thunderous serve and flat forehand, as well as a very useful slice. But based on how he looked leaving the court against Zverev, it is hard to have much faith in his chances here, even if he does find a way to play.
Prediction: Hurkacz in 2
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