The spring clay-court season’s first title is all coming down to Philipp Kohlschreiber and Borna Coric. They will battle for the trophy in Marrakech on Sunday before heading to the Monte-Carlo Masters.
Philipp Kohlschreiber and Borna Coric will be going head-to-head for the third time in their careers when they collide in the final of the Grand Prix Hassan II on Sunday afternoon. Kohlschreiber has won both of their previous encounters; 6-2, 7-6(5) last season in Dubai and 6-4, 6-4 in the Monte-Carlo first round last spring.
The 32nd-ranked German has been his typically solid self in 2017 and should be in line for a seed at the French Open and Wimbledon. Kohlschreiber owns a 13-7 record this season and has not lost in the opening round of any tournament. So far in Marrekech he has taken out Jeremy Chardy, Jan-Lennard Struff, and Benoit Paire, dropping sets to Chardy and Struff in the process.
Coric has also survived two three-setters (against Reda El Amrani and Albert Ramos-Vinolas) to reach his second consecutive Marrakech final. The 20-year-old Croat also clobbered Diego Schwartzman 6-3, 6-2 in the first round and beat Jiri Vesely 6-4, 6-4 during semifinal action on Saturday. Coric is a respectable 9-8 in 2017 after starting the season 0-3.
“It was a very good match for me,” Coric said after cruising past Vesely. “My best on the clay season so far. I was serving very good, returning very good, and moving very good. It’s going to be a very tough match tomorrow; we’ll see what’s going to happen. I can only hope to take the next step.”
The world No. 79 is 0-2 lifetime in ATP finals, having fallen to Stan Wawrinka in Chennai early last year before losing to Federico Delbonis at this same Marrakech tournament. Kohlschreiber, meanwhile, has captured seven titles in 15 finals and five of his triumphs–including each of the last four–have come on clay.
The No. 3 seed’s experience is these kinds of pressure-packed situations will likely be too much for Coric.
Pick:Â Kohlschreiber in 2
[polldaddy poll=9724697]
who ya got?
Kohlschreiber in three it’s a tough call for me but I go with the German’s experience.
Kohlschreiber wins titles? Seems more like the guy who always loses the final. But he does tend to win one 250 per year, almost always on clay. Ok, I’ll pick him to win this one.