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Match Details
Fixture: (1) Novak Djokovic vs (5) Hubert Hurkacz
Tournament: Dubai Tennis Championships
Round: Quarterfinals
Venue: Aviation Club Tennis Center, Dubai
Category: ATP 500
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
Prize money: $3,020,525
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Novak Djokovic vs Hubert Hurkacz preview
Top seed Djokovic will take on Marseille winner and eighth seed Hurkacz for a place in the Dubai semifinals. Both players took similar routes to the last eight, surviving a third-set tiebreak in the opening round before a straight-set win in the second.
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The 35-year-old Djokovic - the world's top-ranked player - is now unbeaten in 14 matches this year. Earlier in the season, he won the Adelaide 1 and Australian Open titles. The latter triumph moved him level with Rafael Nadal (22) atop the all-time men's singles Grand Slam title leaderboard.
Djokovic faced a stern test against qualifier Tomas Machak in the first round in Dubai. He dropped the second set and squandered a lead in the third before surviving a tiebreak.
He then beat Tallon Griekspoor in straight sets to reach the last eight at the Dubai Tennis Championships for the 13th time in as many appearances.
Meanwhile, 11th-ranked Hurkacz improved to 12-4 on the season following wins over Alexander Shevchenko and Pavel Kotov.
The reigning Marseille winner squandered two championship points before converting his third in the third-set tiebreak against Shevchenko. Hurkacz then extended his win streak to six matches by beating Kotov in straight sets.
Novak Djokovic vs Hubert Hurkacz head-to-head
The two players have met four times previously, with the World No. 1 winning all four meetings. They last met in the 2022 Madrid Masters quarterfinals, while their lone previous meeting on hardcourt was at the 2021 Paris Masters semifinals.
Novak Djokovic vs Hubert Hurkacz odds
All odds are as per BetMGM.
Novak Djokovic vs Hubert Hurkacz prediction
Hubert Hurkacz faces the monumental challenge of beating Djokovic, a player who has no apparent weakness to exploit.
Djokovic did appear vulnerable in his opening round, where he needed a third-set tiebreak. But, it was business as usual in the second round against Griekspoor.
Hurkacz has a big serve and powerful groundstrokes, but Djokovic can easily negate an opponent's power with his supreme athleticism, anticipation and movement. The best chance for Hurkacz to beat Djokovic would be to employ an aggressive game plan and take the game to the Super Serb.
However, it looks unlikely that Hurkacz will end Djokovic's unbeaten start to the season.
Prediction: Djokovic in straight sets
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