Hubert Hurkacz vs Taylor Fritz Prediction: Fritz Is Partially Favorite In This Gritty Battle

Taylor Fritz of the United States will face Hubert Hurkacz of Poland in the semifinals of the 2023 United Cup, which will be contested on Saturday, January 7.

Hurkacz, like Fritz, comes into this match with a string of wins in the group rounds but a loss in the Host City Final.

After defeating Alexander Bublik in three sets, Hurkacz defeated Stan Wawrinka in straight sets before losing in three against Matteo Berrettini of Italy.

It was a match that might have gone any way, but Hurkacz's slightly lower serving numbers tipped the scales in Berrettini's favor.

The Polish number had 62%, 73%, and 53% for first serves in, first serves won, and second serves won, respectively, while his opponent got 64%, 76%, and 64% for those three metrics. That proved to be the deciding factor between the two.

While the United States defeated Great Britain in the Host City Finals, Fritz did not assist his team's prospects when he was defeated in a bout by Cameron Norrie.

This came after Fritz had beaten both Jiri Lehecka and Alexander Zverev in his first two singles matches of the tournament, and Norrie had started the match as a 13/10 underdog.

Fritz was defeated 6-4, 5-7, 4-6 in a two-hour and 18-minute match as he failed to get his first serve to function. He won 67% of the first serve points, compared to 77% for his opponent.

While Fritz is the early favorite, his defeat against Norrie shows that it may not be a done deal versus Hurkacz. What it might also imply is that we will see an exciting contest, especially now that Iga Swiatek has fallen to Jessica Pegula in the previous round, making this a must-win for Hurkacz.

• Total Under 25 for 1.84
• Handiсap Hubert Hurkacz (+1) for 1.87
• Individual Total 2 Over 13 for 1.85