DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - FEBRUARY 25: Hubert Hurkacz of Poland hits a return during the semi-final match against Andrey Rublev of Russia during day 12 of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium on February 25, 2022 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by David Gray/Getty Images)
David Goffin will take on No.13 seed Hubert Hurkacz in the first round of the French Open
Belgian Tennis star David Goffin is coming into this tournament at the back of a second-round exit from the Lyon Open. Goffin is in the twilight phase of his career and hasn’t been in the best of form recently. However, his experience is priceless in a tournament of this stature and he is certainly a force to reckon with. Goffin’s best ever performance at the Roland Garros is a quarter-final finish in 2016. He will aim to better it but he is well past his prime and it is going to be a very challenging task.
Hubert Hurkacz is an all-court player and one of the most dangerous servers in the current circuit. At 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in), he also possesses a serve reaching up to 151 miles per hour (243 km/h) to set up effective one-two punches. In addition to being a defensive baseliner, he has often included netplay into his style and has been recognized for his penchant for playing serve-and-volley to close points.
Hurkacz’s recent form has been a cause for worry though and he will be desperate to be at the top of his game in Paris. The No.13 seed will fancy his chances against Goffin but there is no room for complacency against such an experienced player. It remains to be seen if Hurkacz can live up to the billing and go deep into the tournament.
Date – Sunday, 28th May
Court Type – Clay outdoor surface
Telecast – Sony Ten Network
Start Time – To be Announced
Location – Paris
Match details – First Round
Goffin and Hurkacz have played each other twice before on the ATP tour. Both the encounters were thrillers and they are tied 1-1 on head to head. On paper, Hurkacz is the favourite both in terms of rankings. We can certainly expect Goffin to put up a tough fight but the Polish star should eventually prevail. We are predicting a win in four sets for Hubert Hurkacz.
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