The quarter-finals of the ATP 250 Open 13 Marseilles feature some surprising faces and a few expected veterans. The Tennis Review previews and predicts the day’s action.
Roberto Bautista Agut (4) Vs Dominic Thiem
Thiem got a much needed stroke of luck when David Goffin retired from their last sixteen match yesterday with a rib injury. 2015 has been a lackluster year so far for the Austrian who has fallen from 38 in the rankings, after making the U.S Open quarter-finals in September 2014 to 48, and has a 1-3 win record on the ATP Tour in 2015.
One of those losses was to Bautista Agut, a four set defeat in the Australian Open first round, their only career meeting.
Thiem’s luck may have ended though in facing Bautista Agut at this stage in Marseilles. The Spaniard may have fallen from 16 to 14 in the rankings and be 4-4 this season, but he has some credentials indoors, his most noteable achievement being finishing runner-up in Moscow last season.
Thiem meanwhile has never made the last eight of an indoor event, his game best suited to clay.
Prediction: Bautista Agut to win in straight sets.
Simone Bolelli Vs Gael Monfils (WC/7)
Bolelli is the surprise package of the last eight in Marseilles. The Italian had not beaten a top 10 player in 35 tries before he knocked out Milos Raonic yesterday.
Bolelli has beaten Monfils before, all the way back in 2007. But Monfils, ranked 21, has been having a consistent past year and is a seasoned indoor player with 4 indoor hard court titles. The star’s athleticism and shot-making come to life indoors and the home-crowd will also bring out the best of him – three of his indoor hard titles have come in France.
Bolelli should be inspired with his breakthrough against Raonic, and will put up a fight, but it won’t be enough to prevent Monfils making his first semi-final in Marseilles, where he is a surprising career 1-6.
Prediction: Monfils to win in three.
Sergiy Stakhovsky Vs Stan Wawrinka (2)
Stakhovsky is most famous for knocking Federer out of the second round of Wimbledon 2013. The Ukrainian has the aggressive game to take the match to Wawrinka on fast courts as seen in their four set contest at the 2012 U.S Open, a match Wawrinka won.
The Swiss is on something of a roll right now, winning in Rotterdam last week , winning in Chennai at the start of the year, and reaching the Australian Open semi-finals.
Stakhovsky, ranked 58, is in good form indoors, coming off an appearance in the Rotterdam quarters, and is 3-2 on indoor hard courts this year. He has also won 2 career titles indoors in 2008 and 2009 so he has predigree on the surface.
Prediction: Wawrinka looks fully revived after his post Monte Carlo slump last year and breezed past Paire in their last sixteen match. Fit, motivated and enjoying the fast indoor conditions, Wawrinka should win this in straights.
Gilles Simon (5) Vs Jeremy Chardy
This could be the match of the day. The two have contrasting styles with Simon being more prone to defensive tactics and Chardy more of an attacking player. This final match of the day between two Frenchman should get the crowd going, too.
Simon leads the head to head 3-0 and won their last meeting in Rotterdam last week 6-4, 6-3.
With both men being in good form – Simon beat Murray for the first time in 13 tries last week and Chardy knocked out defending champion Gulbis in the last sixteen yesterday- this match could go the distance.
Prediction: Simon to win in three sets.
Commentary by Christian Deverille
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