Miami R1 previews and predictions: Berdych vs. Tomic, Hurkacz vs. Berrettini

Tomas Berdych and Bernard Tomic are set for an intriguing first-rounder at the Miami Masters on Wednesday. Hubert Hurkacz, who faces Matteo Berrettini, is also in action as he looks to build on his impressive run to the Indian Wells quarterfinals.

Bernard Tomic vs. Tomas Berdych

Berdych and Tomic will be going head-to-head for the sixth time in their careers and for the second time at the Miami Open when they meet again on Wednesday. All five of their previous encounters have gone Berdych’s way, including a 6-7(4), 7-6(3), 6-1 decision in the third round of this same tournament in 2015. The Czech has prevailed twice on hard courts and three times on grass, most recently defeating Tomic 7-6(4), 6-2 on the slick stuff in Stuttgart two years ago.

Tomic somehow finds himself ahead of Berdych in the rankings (81st to 89th), but current form tells a much different story. The 26-year-old Australian is just 1-3 in main draws this season and he is coming off consecutive failed qualifying attempts in Acapulco and Indian Wells. Berdych has returned with a vengeance from a 2018 back injury to compile a 12-6 record, with a runner-up finish in Doha, a fourth-round performance at the Australian Open, and a semifinal showing in Montpellier. This should be mostly one-way traffic for the 33-year-old, just as it always has been for him against Tomic.

Pick: Berdych in 2

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Matteo Berrettini vs. Hubert Hurkacz

Based on early returns through two-plus months, Hurkacz could be the ATP’s breakout star in 2019–just ask Kei Nishikori. The 22-year-old’s season already includes upsets of Nishikori in Dubai (lost to eventual runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarterfinals) and Indian Wells (lost to eventual runner-up Roger Federer in the quarters). Hurkacz also beat Donald Young, Lucas Pouille, and Denis Shapovalov in the desert, so he is riding a wave of momentum into Miami.

Up first for the world No. 54 on Wednesday is a second career contest against Berrettini. They previously faced each other during 2018 Aussie Open qualifying, where Berrettini got the job done 7-6(5), 6-3. The Italian, also 22, made a name for himself throughout the 2018 campaign to the extend that he registers at 52nd in the rankings–aided by a semifinal run in Sofia last month, as well. Berrettini just won the loaded Phoenix Challenger this past weekend, so this is clearly an entertaining matchup between two promising up-and-comers. A slight edge on this surface goes to Hurkacz, who should be slightly more rested, too, having not played since Friday.

Pick: Hurkacz in 3

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