Hubert Hurkacz and Jannik Sinner survived long first-round matches at the Madrid Masters and now have tough tests awaiting them on Wednesday. Hurkacz runs into an in-form Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, while Sinner faces Alex de Minaur.
(12) Hubert Hurkacz vs. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
Davidovich Fokina has already made plenty of noise on clay this spring and he figures to make more sooner rather than later. The 29th-ranked Spaniard finished runner-up in Monte-Carlo, upsetting Novak Djokovic along the way before losing to Stefanos Tsitsipas. Success on the red stuff is nothing new for Davidovich Fokina, who made a run to the French Open quarterfinals last spring. The 22-year-old kicked off his week in front of the home crowd by beating Lloyd Harris 7-5, 6-3 on Monday.
Up next for Davidovich Fokina on Wednesday is what will already be a fourth meeting with Hurkacz. Davidovich Fokina has won two of their three previous encounters even though all three have come on hard courts (one indoors)–which favor Hurkacz. Hurkacz suffered a four-set upset at the 2020 U.S. Open before they split a pair of 2021 encounters. The 14th-ranked Pole is in stellar form at the moment with a 18-7 match record this season, but he needed two hours and 55 minutes to defeat Hugo Dellien 7-5, 6-7(11), 6-3 on Tuesday and received some treatment for a right-hand issue. This is a good opportunity for Davidovich Fokina, who is more rested, has home-court advantage, and is confident in this particular matchup.
Pick: Davidovich Fokina in 3
Alex de Minaur vs. (10) Jannik Sinner
Sinner and de Minaur will be going head-to-head for the fourth time in their careers. All three of their previous meetings have gone Sinner’s way–twice in straight sets (2019 NextGen ATP Finals and 2022 Australian Open) and 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-1 at the 2020 Sofia tournament.
Both players had to battle through their Madrid openers. Sinner saved three match points while outlasting Tommy Paul 6-7(4), 7-6(4), 6-3; de Minaur held off Pedro Martinez 7-6(2), 1-6, 6-3. Both had Tuesday off, so there is plenty of recovery time. Sinner is more comfortable on clay and the high altitude in Madrid suits his big-hitting game. De Minaur never goes down without a fight, but this should set up well for the 12th-ranked Italian.
Pick: Sinner in 3
WWW?
It’s time for Davidovich to back up his MC result, but his 1st event after it he went out in QF after just 1 win, so was it a flash in the pan or is he the real deal, we shall find out, having said that Davidovich is the better clay player here so he should prevail, Hurkacz really struggled vs. Dellien who he beat easily in MC and who he should be beating easily every time, these are the only other players in Nole’s section who are in any sort of form right now though, Davidovich in 2.
Sinner did not look good vs. Paul, he had a medical timeout, so that does not bode well for him going forward, De Minaur on the other hand almost beat Alcaraz in Barca having 2 MP’s, so this is going to be very tough to call, I’m leaning De Minaur here in 3.
ADF in 3; Sinner in 2.