Richard Gasquet and Vasek Pospisil will hope to continue their impressive runs in Montpellier when they collide during quarterfinal action on Thursday. David Goffin and Pierre-Hugues Herbert are also aiming for a spot in the semis.
Richard Gasquet vs. (PR) Vasek Pospisil
Gasquet and Pospisil will be squaring off for the fifth time in their careers and for the first time in more than four years when they finally meet again on Friday at the Open Sud de France. The head-to-head series is tied at two wins apiece and all four of their previous encounters have come on outdoor hard courts. Pospisil prevailed in 2013 and 2014 (Shanghai and Washington, D.C.) before Gasquet got the job done in 2014 and 2015 (Toronto and Shanghai).
Will the Frenchman be 100 percent to make this proverbial rubber match a competitive one? Maybe not. He missed all of January with a knee injury and is now dealing with a groin issue despite managing to oust Gilles Simon and Feliciano Lopez. An in-form Pospisil booked his spot in the quarterfinals by beating Aljaz Bedene and fellow Canadian Denis Shapovalov in routine straight sets. The world No. 132 will likely be too good for Gasquet–even if the veteran is somehow 100 percent.
Pick: Pospisil in 2
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Pierre-Hugues Herbert vs. (2) David Goffin
Goffin and Herbert will be facing each other in a second straight tournament after Goffin got the best of his good friend 6-1, 6-4, 4-6, 1-6, 6-3 at the Australian Open. The 10th-ranked Belgian now leads the head-to-head series 4-0, including 9-3 in total sets following three hard-court encounters and one clash on grass.
Generally too consistent and wielding too good of a return for Herbert, Goffin advanced on Thursday with a 6-3, 7-6(9) victory over Alexander Bublik. Herbert took care of qualifier Sergiy Stakhovsky before defeating Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6(2), 7-5 in the last 16. The 67th-ranked Frenchman did not break Auger-Aliassime’s serve until 5-5 in the second set and he will have to return better against Goffin. Expect the favorite to improve to 5-0 in this matchup.
Pick: Goffin in 2
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WYG?
Gasquet/Goffin in three