ATP Cup 2022: Hubert Hurkacz vs Diego Schwartzman preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match Details
Fixture: (POL) Hubert Hurkacz vs (ARG) Diego Schwartzman
Date: January 5, 2022
Tournament: ATP Cup 2022
Round: Group Stage
Surface: Hard
Prize Money: $14 million
Match Timing: Approx. 11.30 am local time, 12.30 am GMT, 6 am IST
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime
Hubert Hurkacz vs Diego Schwartzman preview
Hubert Hurkacz will take on Diego Schwartzman in a blockbuster round-robin tie at the ATP Cup on Wednesday. There is a lot riding on this contest as the winner could seal their nation's semifinal spot.
Hurkacz had an outstanding 2021, during which he won his first Masters 1000 title in Miami, by beating Jannik Sinner in the final. The 24-year-old reached his first Grand Slam semifinal at Wimbledon and became the first Polish man to enter the top 10 of the ATP rankings.
Hurkacz has fared pretty well for Poland at the ATP Cup so far, having won both of his singles matches against Aristotelis Thanos and Aleksandre Metreveli.
Schwartzman's ranking suffered a dip in 2021, but he had his moments. The Argentine reached the quarterfinals of the French Open without dropping a single set before losing to Rafael Nadal. He also made it to the last eight at Indian Wells.
Schwartzman's only title of 2021 came at the Argentina Open, which he won without dropping a single set.
The 29-year-old has been a vital asset for Argentina at the ATP Cup, beating Nikoloz Basilashvili on the first day of the competition. In his second singles match, Schwartzman was up against Stefanos Tsitsipas and lost the first set. However, he bounced back to defeat the World No. 4 and confirm Argentina's victory.
The 29-year-old will be keen to return to the top 10, and a win over Hurkacz would definitely help his cause.
Hubert Hurkacz vs Diego Schwartzman head-to-head
Wednesday's match will be the third time the two players lock horns, with the head-to-head tied at 1-1. Their previous two meetings took place in 2020
They first faced one another at the ATP Cup with Hurkacz winning 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. Schwartzman triumphed in their second meeting in the last 16 of the Rome Masters, winning 3-6, 6-2, 6-4. The Argentine went on to reach the final of the tournament before losing to Novak Djokovic.
Hubert Hurkacz vs Diego Schwartzman prediction
Both players started the ATP Cup with convincing victories, followed by come-from-behind wins. Given their current form, the match promises to be a thrilling contest.
Hurkacz and Schwartzman fared fairly well on hard courts last year, with the Pole winning 30 out of 43 matches while the Argentine won 22 out of 34.
While Hurkacz is in good form, there is a good chance Schwartzman might edge him out and secure Argentina's spot in the semifinals.
Prediction: Schwartzman to win in three sets
Also Check Out: Updated ATP Cup 2022 Results