The semifinals are set to get underway at the 2019 Grand Prix Hassan II in Marrakech. They will feature three Frenchmen and a lone Spaniard–Pablo Andujar, the defending champion.
2019 Marrakech Semifinal Predictions
Pablo Andujar vs Gilles Simon
Head to head: Andujar 2-1
As mentioned already, Andujar is on a brilliant 12-match win streak. (He won five matches at the Marbella Challenger, five at the Alicante Challenger, and two here). The Spaniard seemed a little bit gassed in the opening rounds. However, he received a walkover from Jiri Vesely yesterday, which might be of huge importance here. That extra rest can prove extremely valuable against Gilles Simon, also an excellent clay-court competitor, who is perhaps the most impressive player in this tournament so far.
It has to be said, though, that the quality of Simon’s opponents wasn’t that great, and Andujar was able to defeat him both times they played on clay. The Spaniard seems like a player that should be able to endure Simon’s defensive game. He loves the conditions in Morocco (won 2011 and 2012 in Casablanca, and also last-year here in Marrakech) and has to be insanely confident in his tennis at this point.
Prediction: Andujar in 3
Benoit Paire vs Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
Head to head: Tsonga 3-0
Both have in a way surprised everyone this week. Tsonga is suddenly looking like a top player this clay-court season, and Paire survived a very close match against Aljaz Bedene just to absolutely blast his next two opponents off the court (Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Jaume Munar). I have been predicting a sudden breakdown of Paire’s mind for the last two rounds and it didn’t happen. However, this is a match where he can just get outplayed, and I presume he will. None of their previous matches came on clay, but we don’t think that’s too much of a factor in this match-up as both of them feel very comfortable on this kind of surface. Tsonga should be much more consistent and is a more complete player than Paire.
Prediction: Tsonga in 3
