Main-draw action in Marseille will begin on Monday, when seeds Lorenzo Sonego and Sebastian Korda take the court. They are set for first-round showdowns against Botic van de Zandschulp and Otto Virtanen, respectively.
(7) Lorenzo Sonego vs. Botic van de Zandschulp
Sonego and Van de Zandschulp will be going head-to-head for the second time in their careers when they clash in round one of the Open 13 on Monday. Their only previous meeting came this past fall on the indoor hard courts of Paris, where Sonego scored a 6-3, 5-7, 7-5 qualifying victory.
It has been a tale of two different seasons so far for these two players. Sonego made a run to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, which propelled him to 34th in the rankings–good enough for the No. 7 seed in Marseille. The Italian lost right away in Rotterdam to Holger Rune, but at least that means he will be well rested and ready for this week. Van de Zandschulp is 0-4 in his first four matches in 2025, with his indoor swing featuring losses to fellow Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor in Montpellier and eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz in Rotterdam. Just like in Paris, this one may not be easy for Sonego–but he has more confidence than Van de Zandschulp right now and should be able to advance.
Pick: Sonego in 3
Otto Virtanen vs. (5) Sebastian Korda
Korda could be playing in Delray Beach, where he is a former runner-up (2021), but he is also a stellar indoor hard-court player so it makes sense for him to show up in Marseille. Three of the 22nd-ranked American’s ATP runner-up performances have come indoors. Korda also reached a final earlier this season in Adelaide, where he lost to Felix Auger-Aliassime before falling in the second round at Melbourne Park to Aleksandar Vukic.
Up first for the fifth seed on Monday is Virtanen, whom he has never faced. Although the 97th-Finn is a huge hitter of the ball, he is extremely inconsistent. Virtanen certainly hasn’t come close to finding the range on his shots yet this year, as he is 0-3 with losses to opponents ranked No. 219 and No. 417. The underdog could steal a set since he can get hot at any moment and his opponent has not played since the Aussie Open, but Korda is the far more consistent player.
Pick: Korda in 3
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