Match Details
Fixture: (6) Andy Murray vs (WC) Max Purcell
Date: 13 July, 2022.
Tournament: Hall of Fame Open.
Round: Second round (Round of 16).
Venue: Newport, United States.
Category: ATP 250.
Surface: Grass.
Prize money: $594,950.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Andy Murray vs Max Purcell preview
Sixth seed Andy Murray takes on Max Purcell in the second round of the Hall of Fame Open on Wednesday.
The Scot has won 18 out of 28 matches this season, reaching two finals. The first of these came at the Sydney International, where he lost to Aslan Karatsev.
Murray's second final of the season came at the BOSS Open in Stuttgart, where he made it to the title clash without dropping a set. The 35-year-old beat Stefanos Tsitsipas and Nick Kyrgios before facing Matteo Berrettini in the final. The Italian won the opening set 6-4 before Murray leveled things up by taking the second 7-5.
The Scot struggled with injury during the decider and lost 3-6. As a result, he was forced to withdraw from the Queen's Club Championships. He returned to action at Wimbledon and reached the second round before losing to John Isner in four sets.
Murray is seeded sixth at the Hall of Fame Open in Newport and reached the second round after thrashing Sam Querrey 6-2, 6-0.
Purcell has had a lot of success on the doubles circuit this season, winning the men's doubles title at Wimbledon with compatriot Matthew Ebden. However, his 6-3, 1-6, 7-5 win over Adrian Mannarino in Newport was his first out of four main-draw singles matches in 2022.
Andy Murray vs Max Purcell head-to-head
The head-to-head between the pair stands at 0-0 as they have never locked horns before. The winner of the match will face either third seed Alexander Bublik or Jack Sock in the quarterfinals of the Hall of Fame Open.
Andy Murray vs Max Purcell odds
(All odds sourced from Oddschecker)
Andy Murray vs Max Purcell prediction
Murray will enter the match as the favorite given that he is ranked 150 spots higher than Purcell and is a seasoned pro on grass.
The Scot has produced some encouraging performances this season, which have seen him return to the top 50 of the ATP rankings.
Murray's strong and accurate serve was on full display against Querrey, as were his powerful groundstrokes. His return game is also firing on all cylinders, making him a formidable opponent.
Purcell will be in good spirits after defeating Adrian Mannarino, who was ranked 120 places higher than him. The Australian possesses a decent serve, which he will need to make full use of against Murray. He loves to play from the back of the court, but might need to come forward more often to take Murray off his rhythm.
Murray, though, is looking in good touch and should be able to register another comprehensive victory and seal his place in the quarterfinals.
Pick: Murray to win in straight sets.