Canadian Open 2022: Hubert Hurkacz vs Casper Ruud, preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match details
Fixture: Hubert Hurkacz vs Casper Ruud
Date: August 13, 2022
Tournament: 2022 Canadian Open
Round: Semifinal
Venue: Montreal, Canada
Category: ATP Masters 1000
Surface: Hard
Prize money: $5,926,545
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | Canada - Sportsnet, TVA Sports | UK - Amazon Prime Video | India - Sports 18
Hubert Hurkacz and Casper Ruud preview
Eighth seed Hubert Hurkacz will take on fourth seed Casper Ruud in the semifinals of the Canadian Open on Saturday.
Hurkacz has had a good start to the year, reaching the semifinals of the ATP Cup where he lost to Roberto Bautista Agut. However, he failed to capitalize on his form Down Under and lost to Adrian Mannarino in the second round of the Australian Open.
At the Dubai Tennis Championships, Hurkacz hit his stride and reached the semifinals, where he lost to Andrey Rublev. The 25-year-old cruised past the likes of Felix Auger-Agiassime, Nick Kyrgios and World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev to win the Halle Open title, which was his first title of the year and his first-ever grasscourt triumph.
He traveled to Montreal on the back of first-round exits at Wimbledon and the Citi Open. The Pole has played admirably to reach the semifinals at the Canadian Open, snapping Kyrgios' nine-match winning streak in the last eight.
Casper Ruud in 2022
Roland Garros: F
Miami Masters: F
Rome Masters: SF
Montreal Masters: SF (at least)
Total points: 2,520
3 ATP 250 titles
Total points: 750
Casper is Top 5 because he's consistent in big events across all surfaces, not thanks to ATP 250 tournaments on clay https://t.co/EBeYZUIOVE
Casper Ruud has had an eventful year, winning his first title in Buenos Aires by beating defending champion Diego Schwartzman in the final.
The Norwegian has had a series of firsts this season. He reached his first Masters 1000 final in Miami, where he lost to teenage sensation Carlos Alcaraz. Ruud then reached his maiden Grand Slam final at Roland Garros, where he was defeated by Rafael Nadal in straight sets.
The 23-year-old has been in exceptional form in the ongoing Canadian Open. In his last three matches, he has fired 27 aces in total. The Norwegian bested hometown favorite Felix Auger-Aliassime in a sublime display of tennis, winning 6-1, 6-2 to reach the last four.
Hubert Hurkacz and Casper Ruud head-to-head
The head-to-head between the two players stands at 1-0 in favor of Casper Ruud. The pair faced each other for the first time at Roland Garros earlier this year, where Ruud knocked out Hurkacz 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in the fourth round.
Hubert Hurkacz and Casper Ruud odds
(Odds will be updated soon)
Hubert Hurkacz and Casper Ruud prediction
Hurkacz possesses an excellent serve as was evident from his last match where he registered 20 aces. Primarily a good defensive baseliner, he also has decent attacking abilities. His tall stature also enables him to play big shots with ease. He has specifically worked on his serve and has become pretty accurate with his first serve.
Ruud is a clay court specialist. However, this season, he has translated his form to the hardcourts by winning 69% of his matches on the surface. He tends to tire out his opponents and make the best use of his heavy forehand.
Patience will be key for the Pole, who is capable of being in control of his defence at extremely crucial moments. As evident from the previous matches, he has come under trouble for having a relatively weaker backhand.
One interesting stat about both the players is their tendency to win a match after taking home the first set. Hurkacz has a 96% win record after clinching the first set, while Ruud has a 93% win record after taking the first set.
In what should be an evenly fought contest, expect Hurkacz to come out on top and progress to the final.
Pick: Hurkacz to win in three sets.