There should be plenty of entertaining tennis on day four at the ATP Marrakech Open with six second-round matches on the slate and a number of star players set to take to the court. As always, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match on the schedule, including Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Alex Molcan. But who will book their place in the last eight?
ATP Marrakech Day 4 Predictions
Joao Sousa vs Roberto Carballes Baena
Head-to-head: Carballes Baena 3-2 Sousa
Roberto Carballes Baena has played some fine tennis this season, but not very much of it at tour-level. That is no doubt something he will be hoping to change during the clay-court swing and he made a good start with a 7-5 7-6 win over former-French Open semifinalist Marco Cecchinato. Joao Sousa, meanwhile, scored an increasingly rare ATP win over fifth seed Federico Delbonis.
His 6-2 5-7 6-3 was a reminder of the sort of tennis he can play when he is at best. But Sousa has not been able to sustain that level of performance in recent times. That is why Carballes Baena has won their last three matches, the last two for the loss of just four games. He will most likely have to work harder for this win, but expect him to be the player to reach the quarterfinals.
Prediction: Carballes Baena in 3
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Richard Gasquet vs Pavel Kotov
Head-to-head: first meeting
Richard Gasquet rather rolled back they years in the first round at the ATP Marrakech Open. The Frenchman was amongst the most gifted shot-makers of his generation and boasts a superb record of 567-351 over the course of his career. Now 35, he is not the force he once was, but had too much for Henri Laaksonen in the first round, digging out a 7-5 4-6 6-4 win.
Pavel Kotov started his campaign in Marrakech with a 0-6 6-2 6-2 win over Pavel Kotov. It was the first at ATP-level in his career. He will surely now be determined to back that up against Gasquet. But the 35-year-old is an immensely experienced campaigner and, frankly, the better player of these two. Expect that to be reflected in the scoreline.
Prediction: Gasquet in 3
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Vik Kopriva vs Botic van de Zandschulp
Head-to-head: first meeting
After coming through the qualifying, Vit Kopriva made light work of lucky loser Bernabe Zapata Miralles, losing just five games to the Spaniard in a 6-1 6-4 win. His reward is a second-round clash with Botic van de Zandschulp. The Dutchman remains most comfortable on hard courts, demonstrating as much with a run to the third round in Indian Wells, but he can play on the clay.
At any rate, he had too much for Hugo Dellien in the first round, winning 6-3 3-6 6-4. Still, one rather suspects that Kopriva will prove tougher opposition. The Czech has cut his teeth on the Challenger Tour, scoring some tough wins, and looks primed for a breakthrough on the main tour. That will take more than a quarterfinal showing in Marrakech. But that would be a start. Expect him to make it.
Prediction: Kopriva in 3
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