Monte-Carlo Masters 2022: Hubert Hurkacz vs Pedro Martinez preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (11) Hubert Hurkacz vs Pedro Martinez
Date: 13 April 2022
Tournament: Monte-Carlo Masters 2022
Round: Second round (Round of 32)
Venue: Monte Carlo, Monaco
Category: ATP Masters 1000
Surface: Clay
Prize money: €5,802,475
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video | India - Voot
Hubert Hurkacz vs Pedro Martinez preview
World No. 11 Hubert Hurkacz will take on Pedro Martinez in the second round of the 2022 Monte-Carlo Masters on Wednesday.
Despite a couple of good results since the start of the year, Hurkacz remained under the radar until the Miami Open. As the defending champion, he made it to the semifinals where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz. He didn't leave empty-handed though, as the Pole won the doubles title alongside John Isner.
Hurkacz kicked off his campaign in Monte Carlo with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Hugo Dellien in the first round. The 25-year old held four break points in the very first game of the opening set, but couldn't convert any of them. He didn't get a whiff of another break point until the 11th game of the set, which he promptly converted before closing out the set.
Hurkacz took an early lead in the second set, but Dellien fought back to level the score. The Pole nabbed the decisive break in the ninth game of the set. He had some trouble serving out the match as he needed to fend off three break points before securing the win.
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Pedro Martinez participated in four clay tournaments during the South American clay swing. While he lost in the second round in three of them, he won his maiden ATP title at the Chile Open where he beat the likes of Jaume Munar, Yannick Hanfmann and Alejandro Tabilo followed by Sebastian Baez in the final.
At the Monte-Carlo Masters, Martinez defeated Ugo Humbert 6-4, 7-6 (5) in the first round. The opening set had quite a few momentum shifts, with five service breaks between them. The Spaniard eventually got the upper hand and won the first set.
Martinez broke his opponent's serve in the first game of the second set, but lost the next four games to trail 1-4. But the 24-year old held his nerve and staged a fightback to level the score and win the match.
Hubert Hurkacz vs Pedro Martinez head-to-head
This will be the first meeting between Hurkacz and Martinez, so the head-to-head is tied at 0-0.
Hubert Hurkacz vs Pedro Martinez odds
Hurkacz is the favorite to win this clash despite facing a capable claycourter in Martinez.
All odds are sourced from BetMGM.
Hubert Hurkacz vs Pedro Martinez prediction
Hurkacz will be the favorite considering his higher ranking, but Martinez is quite adept at playing on clay. Both will be aiming to reach the third round in Monte Carlo for the first time in their careers.
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Hurkacz had a disappointing clay season last year, bowing out early from every tournament on the surface. Against a clay court specialist like Martinez, he has his task cut out for him.
The World No. 14 has a massive serve, helping him score some easy points. He hit 10 aces in his first-round match and won 81% of his first serve points. An area of concern would be his movement on the red dirt.
Martinez has no trouble navigating on clay and if gets Hurkacz moving all around the court, he could turn the match in his favor. His defensive abilities, coupled with a solid baseline game, work quite well on claycourt and could help him counter Hurkacz's powerful groundstrokes. However, the Spaniard's record against top players doesn't inspire much confidence in him.
Hurkacz is likely to be tested thoroughly, but should be able to squeak past his opponent.
Pick: Hubert Hurkacz to win in three sets.