Madrid Open 2023: Hurkacz vs. Coric Tennis Prediction and Pick

TennisSection previews the 2023 Madrid Open third-round match featuring Hubert Hurkacz vs. Borna Coric on Sunday, April 30, 2023.

Hubert Hurkacz vs. Borna Coric Preview

Two seeds clash for a spot in the second week of the Madrid Open. Will it be 12th seed Hubert Hurkacz or 19th seed Borna Coric who prevails?

Hubert Hurkacz survived an almighty scare in his second-round match. He came from a set down to win 6-7, 6-4, 7-5 in two hours and 26 minutes against Richard Gasquet. Hurkacz trailed 2-5 in the decider, but still managed to turn the set around and prevailed, hammering a personal best 29 aces in the match. He is on course to emulate last year’s quarterfinal run at the Madrid Open but faces a daunting challenge in the third round.

Borna Coric, meanwhile, snapped his five-match losing sequence, beating Hugo Gaston in straight sets. Coric produced an assured display, serving efficiently from the get-go. He won 77% of first-serve points and did not face a single break point in the match. He was equally effective off the return, converting three of his five break points.

Hubert Hurkacz vs. Borna Coric Prediction and Pick

Borna Coric leads Hubert Hurkacz 2-1 in their head-to-head, winning their last clash at the Vienna Open last year. Coric’s win over Gaston is a big boost for his confidence, but he is not out of the mire after losing five in a row. Hurkacz labored to an unlikely win in his match against Gasquet keeping him at the tournament. The Pole looks very short on the ML, and he is not doing himself any favors with the way he tends to invite pressure in baseline duels. Coric has looked unspectacular in recent weeks, but the odds look very attractive for him to get a set in this match.