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Match details
Fixture: (1) Hubert Hurkacz vs Lucas Pouille
Date: 23 September 2021
Tournament: Moselle Open 2021
Round: Second round (Round of 16)
Venue: Metz, France
Category: ATP 250
Surface: Indoor hardcourt
Prize money: €419,470
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel & ESPN | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Hubert Hurkacz vs Lucas Pouille preview
Top seed Hubert Hurkacz and home favorite Lucas Pouille will lock horns in an exciting second-round encounter at the 2021 Moselle Open on Thursday.
Hurkacz will be playing his first match since the US Open. The Pole made a surprise exit in the Round of 16 in New York after losing to Andreas Seppi. He will be keen to get back to winning ways in Metz.
However, he faces a difficult opponent out of the gates in the shape of former champion Lucas Pouille.
Pouille took home the title at the Moselle Open back in 2016. The Frenchman, however, hasn't had the best of seasons. He entered the tournament having lost 11 out of his last 12 main draw matches.
Pouille did, however, manage a hard-fought win over Canada's Brayden Schnur in his Metz opener, and the Frenchman will be eyeing consecutive match victories for the first time since April.
Hubert Hurkacz vs Lucas Pouille head-to-head
Hubert Hurkacz and Lucas Pouille have faced each other thrice, with all three meetings coming in 2019. Hurkacz came out on top in the first two clashes, but Pouille managed to pull one back in Tokyo. The Frenchman trails the head-to-head 2-1.
Hubert Hurkacz vs Lucas Pouille prediction
Both Hubert Hukacz and Lucas Pouille enjoy playing in quick indoor conditions. The match could well turn into a showcase of first-strike tennis with hardly any long rallies.
Pouille made good use of his serve to dig himself out of trouble in his opening match against Schnur. He even managed to follow many of his first serves into the net to close out points quickly. The first serve will be crucial for the Frenchman on Thursday as well.
For Hurkacz, the key will be to find his rhythm on serve and groundstrokes early in the encounter. The Pole has been slow out of the blocks in some of his recent encounters and he cannot afford to make the same mistake against Pouille.
Pouille will have the support of the local crowd and the Frenchman could well pose a few problems for the top seed. But if Hurkacz manages to keep his error count under check, he should be able to eke out a win.
Prediction: Hubert Hurkacz to win in three sets
