Rotterdam 2023: Hubert Hurkacz vs Grigor Dimitrov preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick | ABN AMRO Open
Match Details
Fixture: (5) Hubert Hurkacz vs Grigor Dimitrov
Date: February 15, 2023
Tournament: ABN AMRO Open 2023
Round: Second Round (Round of 16)
Venue: Rotterdam, Netherlands
Category: ATP 500
Surface: Indoor hardcourt
Prize money: €2,074,505
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Hubert Hurkacz vs Grigor Dimitrov preview
Fifth seed Hubert Hurkacz will face Grigor Dimitrov in the second round of the ABN Amro Open on Wednesday.
Hurkacz has won six out of nine matches so far during the 2023 season. He started the year by representing Poland at the United Cup and helped them to the semifinals of the tournament.
The Pole then entered the Australian Open and reached the fourth round before losing a marathon match 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 1-6, 7-6(7) to Sebastian Korda.
Hurkacz competed at the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam as the fifth seed and faced Roberto Bautista Agut in the first round. He won the opening set 7-5 and had three match points in the second-set tie-break.
However, the Spaniard bounced back and won it to force the match into a decider. The final set also went to a tiebreak and Hurkacz won it 7-4 to book his place in the second round.
Grigor Dimitrov has won four out of six matches so far this season. The 31-year-old represented Bulgaria at the United Cup and won one out of two singles matches.
He then competed at the Australian Open as the 27th seed and reached the third round following wins over Aslan Karatsev and Laslo Djere. However, he lost 7-6(7), 6-3, 6-4 to eventual champion Novak Djokovic.
Dimitrov then entered the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam and faced qualifier Aslan Karatsev in the first round. He registered a comprehensive 6-1, 6-3 win over the Russian to book his place in the second round.
Hubert Hurkacz vs Grigor Dimitrov head-to-head
Dimitrov leads 2-0 in the head-to-head against Hurkacz. The last meeting between the two players came in the quarterfinals of last year's Monte-Carlo Masters, with the Bulgarian winning 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(2).
Hubert Hurkacz vs Grigor Dimitrov odds
All odds are sourced from bet365.
Hubert Hurkacz vs Grigor Dimitrov prediction
Hurkacz will enter the match as the favorite to win, but Dimitrov should not be written off as he is capable of giving the World No. 10 a run for his money.
The Pole is among the very best servers on the ATP Tour and served 95 aces since the start of the Australian Open. Hurkacz will look to make the most out of his serve on Wednesday and will be eager to fetch as many free points as possible. He is a solid counter-puncher but his powerful groundstrokes help him play more offensively when required.
Dimitrov's serve may not be as good as Hurkacz's but it has helped him fetch 45 aces in four matches since the start of the Australian Open. The Bulgarian has a wide array of shots at his disposal and will look to mix up his groundstrokes with slices and drop shots. He will also heavily rely on his one-handed backhand for winners.
Dimitrov has won both of his prior encounters against Hurkacz. While the Pole will be feeling the effects of his last match, he should manage to edge out the Bulgarian and book his place in the quarterfinals of the ABN Amro Open.
Pick: Hurkacz to win in three sets.