Cincinnati Open 2024: Hubert Hurkacz vs Flavio Cobolli preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (5) Hubert Hurkacz vs Flavio Cobolli
Date: Friday, August 16, 2024
Tournament: Cincinnati Open 2024
Round: Third round (Round of 16)
Venue: Lindner Family Tennis Center, Mason, Ohio, U.S.
Category: ATP Masters 1000
Surface: Hard
Prize Money: $6,795,555
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN+
Hubert Hurkacz vs Flavio Cobolli preview
Fifth seed Hubert Hurkacz will square off against the Italian youngster Flavio Cobolli in a highly anticipated third-round clash at the 2024 Cincinnati Open on Friday, August 16.
Hurkacz opened his campaign against Yoshihito Nishioka in the second round after receiving a bye in the first round. It was Nishioka who started stronger, emphatically sealing the first set on the back of two impressive breaks. The pair served incredibly well in the second and forced a tie-breaker.
The experienced Pole showed his class in the hotly contested tie-breaker to send it into a decider and Nishioka into a downward spiral. Hurkacz comfortably sealed the win in the third set courtesy of some brilliant play on serve and a game penalty thanks to Nishioka's on-court behavior.
Cobolli kicked off his Cincinnati campaign with an extremely impressive win over the home favorite and tenth seed Tommy Paul. The pair battled it out in three grueling sets, with the Italian youngster eventually sealing a 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 win.
Cobolli then took on compatriot Luciano Darderi in the second round. The first set was evenly contested, with Darderi snagging ahead in the tie-breaker. He carried that good momentum into the second set and broke Cobolli's serve to take a 3-1 lead. It was at this point Darderi had to retire hurt, giving Cobolli a 7-6 (4), 3-1 win.
Hubert Hurkacz vs Flavio Cobolli head-to-head
Hubert Hurkacz edges Flavio Cobolli 1-0 in their head-to-head. They played earlier this year in Halle, with Hurkacz winning that in two tight sets 7-5, 7-6 (2).
Hubert Hurkacz vs Flavio Cobolli odds
(Odds sourced from BetMGM)
Hubert Hurkacz vs Flavio Cobolli prediction
Hubert Hurkacz was tested in his opener but displayed his class toward the end to seal the win. While he's been decent on serve, he's been uncharacteristically errant from the baseline. His unforced error count led to his downfall the week prior in Toronto, and it seems like he hasn't yet fixed the issue yet.
Flavio Cobolli, meanwhile, has impressed everyone watching this week with a couple of impressive wins already in his bag. He dominated Paul in his opener despite losing a set, displaying a wide array of shots from the back of the court. He's been incredibly effective on the return, with a roughly 75% break point conversion rate across both his encounters so far. His net play has paid dividends too as he has more often than not closed out the point every time he's gone forward.
Hurkacz enters the contest as the favorite given his superior rank and experience. There is no ruling out another shock from Cobolli, however, as he has been in the form of his life this week. He could very well cause an upset if he continues firing from all departments like he has been doing so far. It calls for a very interesting match.
Pick: Cobolli in three sets.