The top four seeds in Metz all reached the semifinals, making for a blockbuster Saturday that is sure to entertain the French fans. Gilles Simon is standing in Dominic Thiem’s way, while Lucas Pouille may have his hands full with David Goffin.
(1) Dominic Thiem vs. (4) Gilles Simon
Thiem and Simon will be squaring off for the fifth time in their careers and for the first time this season when they battle for a spot in the final of the Moselle Open on Saturday. The head-to-head series is all tied up at two wins apiece, including 1-1 on hard courts (both outdoors). They most recently faced each other last spring on the red clay of Rome, where Thiem led 7-6(5), 2-0 when his opponent retired.
The second half of 2016 has been a struggle for Thiem, who won more matches then he–or anyone–expected from January through the French Open. Ranked eighth in the world, the 22-year-old Austrian is 54-17 for the season and currently in position to qualify for the World Tour Finals. Bouncing back nicely from a fourth-round retirement at the U.S. Open, Thiem has advanced this week with straight-set defeats of Nikoloz Basilashvili and Gilles Muller. Simon booked his spot in the last four by beating Guillermo Garcia-Lopez and Malek Jaziri. The 28th-ranked Frenchman will have to do much more in order to prove that he is emerging from a prolonged slump, and upsetting Thiem may be too much to ask of him right now.
Pick: Thiem in 2
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(3) Lucas Pouille vs. (2) David Goffin
Goffin and Pouille will be going head-to-head for the third time in their careers and for the third time this season when they meet again on Saturday. Pouille has taken both of their previous contests; 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-3 in Brisbane and 7-6(4), 2-6, 7-6(7) at the Madrid Masters. The 18th-ranked Frenchman’s breakout 2016 campaign reached new heights at the U.S. Open, where he won two straight five-setters at the expense of Marco Chiudinelli and Roberto Bautista Agut and then stunned Rafael Nadal 6-1, 2-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(6) to reach the quarterfinals. Pouille is now 28-18 for the year following three-set victories this week over Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Julien Benneteau.
Also requiring a three-setter on Friday, Goffin outlasted Nicolas Mahut 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-4 in the day’s last match. Metz’s second seed preceded that result by easing past Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4, 6-2. This has the makings of a much-needed productive week for Goffin, who slumped through the hard-court summer with early losses in Toronto (third round), Rio (third round), Cincinnati (second round), and at the U.S. Open (first round). With home-court advantage in France, Pouille should be able to maintain his hot streak and improve to 3-0 against Goffin.
Pick: Pouille in 3
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Would like to see Goffin beat Pouille, I admit. So I voted for Goffin and hope he somehow pulls through in 3, however Ricky’s pick sounds right. Maybe Simon can get a set off Thiem, too.
Thiem and Pouille in three
Simon got a set, but Dominant Thiem came thru in three.
Goffin keeping up with Pouille this first set…barely. Go Goffin!
Pouille is so strong right now.
Up 7-6 4-0 against the Belgian. Picked him to win the whole thing and in a moment he should be just one match away from that.
Same he’s in such good form. I think he’s gonna take down Thiem I originally had him beating muller for the title but now I’m having him take down muller’s conqueror.
And it’s over. 7-6(6) 6-1. Pouille is in a red hot form now. Hope he continues playing like that in tomorrow’s final.
Yeah, Goffin had absolutely no answer to Pouille after the first set.
You picked him to win, manwerty. Good pick! I think I picked Thiem 😀 Should be a good final, I think!
I’m taking Simona Halep in Wuhan 😉
Went for Halep too, but I left some picks on tennis draw challenge to finish them when the qualifiers would be placed in the draw, and then I forgot to do this.
So I got like 8 blanks in my bracket now 🙁