Both Hubert Hurkacz and Vasek Pospisil have impressed in 2020, but only one can reach the Marseille quarterfinals. Benoit Paire and Alexander Bublik are also part of an intriguing Wednesday schedule.
(8) Hubert Hurkacz vs. (PR) Vasek Pospisil
Pospisil has already won seven main-tour matches this season heading into second-round action at the Open 13. That is one more than he won throughout the entirety of an injury-plagued 2019 campaign. The 98th-ranked Canadian finished runner-up in Montpellier (lost to Gael Monfils), upset Daniil Medvedev in Rotterdam, and took care of Emil Ruusuvuori 7-6(6), 6-3 in his Marseille opener.
Up next for Pospisil on Wednesday is Hurkacz, who lost their only previous meeting 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-1 at the 2017 Gimcheon Challenger. Hurkacz went a combined 6-1 at the ATP Cup and ASB Classic in Auckland, but he has cooled off just a bit with a 2-2 record in his last four matches. Although the 29th-ranked Pole defeated wild card Antoine Hoang 6-4, 6-1 on Tuesday, winning just 45 percent of his second-serve points does not bode well. An in-form Pospisil should have the edge in what will likely be a high-quality contest.
Pick: Pospisil in 3
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(6) Benoit Paire vs. Alexander Bublik
Two of the most mercurial players on the ATP Tour will be going head-to-head for the first time in their careers when Paire and Bublik collide on Wednesday. You never know what you are going to get from either guy on any given day. Bublik, though, delivered a surprisingly measured performance when he beat Marton Fucsovics 6-4, 7-5 on Monday. The 55th-ranked Kazakh, who often hits second serves as hard as firsts, double-faulted only twice despite serving at a modest 57 percent. He also broke Fucsovics four times while improving to 5-5 this year.
Less than two months into the 2020 season, Paire has already been all over the place. The 20th-ranked Frenchman won first of his six seven matches but then lost two final-set tiebreakers in the span of three outings (to Ugo Humbert in the Auckland final and to Marin Cilic in the Australian Open second round). He lost right away in both Pune and Rotterdam before getting the best of Gregoire Barrere 6-4, 7-6(1) on Monday in Marseille. Based on current form and his first-round display, an ever-so-slight advantage goes to Bublik.
Pick: Bublik in 3
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WWW?
Hercules in 3; Bublik in straight.
Nakashima in 2 😉
Naka is playing well these days
Indeed. Though at his age and with his record Im not sure you could say there were ever days he wasn’t! He was even money against a similarly in form Vesely In his first ever match at this level, which was a huge clue he was going to win that.