Two big strapping guys

6'4" and 6'5", not the kind of profile you'd expect to be good on clay, and yet!

Hurkacz is really good on clay because in terms of playing style he’s a grinder; he naturally puts a lot of volume on his forehand and for his height he moves really well. It’s a surface that suits him while still keeping his huge serve to get extra free points. After 7 losses in a row on hard courts, he bounced back nicely on clay: already 8 wins for 3 losses and a Challenger final last week. He beat good players like Berrettini and Burruchaga, there was also Nava in the second round, and he lost to Arnaldi in the final but the Italian was playing like steel in that final. A really good week for Hubi and now Rome is coming, a tournament he particularly enjoys with two quarterfinals in the last two years and a crowd that likes him a lot; he’s always got support here! All these things make him a real tough opponent this week, and Hanfmann is the unlucky one!

The German must be gutted about the draw because he likes this tournament too: a quarterfinal in 2023 and a few nice wins. It’s pretty strange because this kind of clay doesn’t really suit his game that much. He prefers a high bounce and altitude so he can crush the ball and use his kick serve, then follow into the net after the serve, for example. I don’t like what he’s shown in his recent matches either; Madrid was really disappointing compared to what he’s capable of in those conditions, and before that it was laboured everywhere. Only in Santiago did he really play his best tennis. Against a player who serves better than he does and who knows how to defend/play well on the return, I’m a bit afraid he’s going to crash and burn and end up with yet another defeat...