TennisSection previews the 2021 Halle Open as Felix Auger-Aliassime meets Hubert Hurkacz in the First Round on Tuesday June 15th, 2021.
A very exciting match is expected here at the 2021 Halle Open as young stars Felix Auger-Aliassime and Hubert Hurkacz do battle in the First Round. Both men have similar game styles and are extremely close in the world rankings so it is sure to be a very competitive match. Who will get the win and advance to the Second Round here in Halle?
Felix Auger-Aliassime is currently ranked #20th on the ATP Tour and at the tender age of 20 already has an outstanding tennis resume. The young Canadian has long been considered a future superstar of the game, and after reaching 8 ATP Finals he is beginning to live up to those lofty expectations. After a very disappointing clay court season he has found form on grass, reaching the Final last week in Stuttgart, where he lost to Marin Cilic. The youngster will be very disappointed to have lost yet another Final, and will be hoping to turn his fortunes around here at the 2021 Halle Open. He enters this match as the favorite over Hubert Hurkacz but knows that he will be in for a huge battle here against a fellow top 25 player who can be very dangerous on these quicker surfaces.
Hubert Hurkacz is ranked #21 on the ATP Tour, one spot behind his First Round opponent Felix Auger-Aliassime. The Pole had an outstanding start to the 2021 season, winning two titles including a maiden Masters-1000 crown in Miami, before his form completely disappeared. In a shocking turn of events, he has now lost a whopping five matches in a row, a shocking number for a top 25 player. He lost in the First Round in Stuttgart to Dominic Stricker last week, a stunning upset that will have his confidence on the low side. While he will be hoping for a better performance this week here at the 2021 Halle Open, he has been drawn against the in-form Felix Auger-Aliassime and is in for a huge test here in a match that he starts as the underdog.
This will be the second meeting between the two players on the ATP Tour, with Felix Auger-Aliassime leading the head to head 1-0. The Canadian won their only meeting back in 2019 in straight sets in Madrid. I expect this match to have the same result, and FAA will likely win in straight sets. Usually this would be a very close battle with either player capable of winning, but Hubert Hurkacz is in a major slump at the moment, and in this type of form will not likely be able to challenge the in-form Canadian. Hurkacz’s serve is still a major weapon on this quicker surface so I expect it to be tight, but ultimately Felix Auger-Aliassime will win, advancing to the Second Round here at the 2021 Halle Open.
Free Tennis Pick and Prediction: Felix Auger-Aliassime to win.
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