When Servebots Collide

I think it's safe to say that we will see a lot of service holds in this match...

Both players had rather comfortable first rounds. Damm got through Mochizuki in a bit more than an hour, and Hurkacz also finished in straight sets in a comfortable matchup against Shevchenko, even if he got pushed a bit harder. I would say that the conditions are very good for both; the very quick conditions combined with the altitude make their serves even more powerful than usual. The American managed to beat Hurkacz in Montpellier at the start of the year, which I see as a good win, even if Hurkacz was perhaps a bit "rusty then", not having played a lot due to injury (he was still coming off some pretty good United Cup performances early on). However, Damm's other matches against Big Servers that are solid from the baseline have been rather tough... he lost in easy straight sets to Zverev, Nakashima, and Mensik. Of course, these are all tough opponents, but players who also serve well and can extend rallies from the baseline can definitely give him trouble; it makes sense. Having said that, I do think Damm has grown a lot... I keep saying good matches from him against top players.

Hurkacz tends to do quite well in those servebot battles. He is really steady in his own service games; his first and second serves are both quite reliable. However, I'm always a bit hesitant to back him at low prices; I find him much better as a small-medium dog, and the stats back that up. Do we trust him to play a clean match and cover the handicaps as a big favorite this time?