Marin Cilic and Alexander Zverev will continue their Monte-Carlo campaigns against unseeded but dangerous quarterfinal opponents on Friday. Cilic is set for a showdown with Kei Nishikori, while Zverev is facing Richard Gasquet.
Kei Nishikori vs. (2) Marin Cilic
Cilic and Nishikori will be squaring off for the 14th time in their careers but for the first time in more than a year when they renew their rivalry in the quarterfinals of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters on Friday. Nishikori leads the head-to-head series 7-6, including just 1-0 on clay thanks to a 6-1, 6-3 victory in the 2014 Barcelona quarters. Their most memorable meetings have come at the U.S. Open; Nishikori survived a four-hour and 59-minute affair in 2010 and lost a four-setter that lasted three hours and 33 minutes in 2012, setting up a proverbial rubber match on the biggest stage of all–with Cilic triumphing 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 in the 2014 final.
Their relative drought of head-to-head encounters has stemmed from injuries, which remain a factor for both players. Nishikori’s 2018 campaign has been an abbreviated one due to wrist problems, as he was only 4-3 at the ATP level prior to this week. Picking up the pace in Monte-Carlo, the world No. 36 from Japan earned his place in the last eight by taking out Tomas Berdych, Daniil Medvedev, and Andreas Seppi. Cilic’s week began with a knee injury during a practice with Rafael Nadal, but his luck has turned around in a hurry. The third-ranked Croat faced an injured Fernando Verdasco in round two and got a walkover from Milos Raonic on Thursday. With the jury still out on Cilic’s health, Nishikori should like his chances of running the big guy ragged on a slow clay court.
Pick: Nishikori in 3
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Richard Gasquet vs. (3) Alexander Zverev
Gasquet will be facing a second consecutive Zverev on Friday after preventing a brother-vs.-brother showdown by beating Mischa 6-2, 7-5 during third-round action on Thursday. The Frenchman figures to have a tough test against Alexander, who is sweeping the head-to-head series 3-0. A trio of 2017 meetings went the way of the younger Zverev; 7-6(4), 6-3 in the Montpellier final, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 on the grass courts of Halle, and 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(3) on his way to the Montreal Masters title.
If nothing else, Gasquet has at least managed to be competitive; and there is no reason he shouldn’t be on Friday. The world No. 34 was plagued by a back issue earlier in the spring, but he is now 14-7 this season following three straight-set wins in Monte-Carlo–also at the expense of Jeremy Chardy and Diego Schwartzman. Zverev, on the other hand, required three sets against both Gilles Muller and Jan-Lennard Struff. The fourth-ranked German is looking vulnerable, so Gasquet may be able to ride his one-handed backhand to a minor upset.
Pick: Gasquet in 3
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