Halle R2 previews and predictions: Sinner vs. Marozsan, Tsitsipas vs. Struff

Jannik Sinner will aim for a place in the Halle quarterfinals when he runs into Fabian Marozsan during second-round action on Thursday. The winner will face either Stefanos Tsitsipas or Jan-Lennard Struff on Friday.

(1) Jannik Sinner vs. Fabian Marozsan

There are pretty much no easy draws at this week’s ATP 500 tournaments in Halle and Queen’s Club. Sinner, the top seed at the Terra Wortmann Open, found that out with Tallon Griekspoor on the other side of the net in round one. The world No. 1 survived 6-7(8), 6-3, 6-2, improving to an incredible 34-3 in 2024 that features three titles–including at the Australian Open.

Up next for Sinner on Thursday is a first-ever main-tour meeting with Marozsan, who battled past Roman Safiullin 7-5, 4-6, 6-1. The 45th-ranked Hungarian is now an even 15-15 this season, highlighted by a fourth-round showing in Indian Wells and a quarterfinal performance in Miami. Marozsan is playing well, but he probably doesn’t have enough experience on grass (3-3 lifetime record) to seriously trouble Sinner.

Pick: Sinner in 2

Jan-Lennard Struff vs. (6) Stefanos Tsitsipas

It will be another showdown between familiar foes when Tsitsipas and Struff square off for the ninth time in their careers. The head-to-head series stands at 5-3 in Tsitsipas’ favor (4-3 at the ATP level) following his 6-7(1), 6-4, 6-4 victory this spring on the red clay of Rome. Struff has won three of their last six encounters, most recently 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-3 en route to the 2023 Madrid final.

They have never faced each other on grass, which should favor Struff even though both guys have done their best work on clay. The 41st-ranked German was the runner-up last summer in Stuttgart and found himself back in the quarterfinals less than a week ago before being forced to withdraw because of illness. He opened in Halle with a 6-7(2), 7-5, 7-6(10) defeat of Luciano Darderi. Tsitsipas also played a pair of tiebreakers, beating Henri Squire 7-6(7), 7-6(2). The 11th-ranked Greek is by no means terrible on grass, but it doesn’t cater to his game style and therefore this is a great opportunity for Struff in front of the home crowd.

Pick: Struff in 3