The only all-seeded quarterfinal matchup of the tournament will pit Richard Gasquet against Marcos Baghdatis on Friday in Montpellier. Quarterfinal action is also featuring fellow Germans Alexander Zverev and Michael Berrer.
(1) Richard Gasquet vs. (8) Marcos Baghdatis
Gasquet and Baghdatis will be going head-to-head for the fourth time in their careers when they battle for a semifinal spot at the Open Sud de France on Friday. Baghdatis has won all three of their previous encounters without dropping a single set. The Cypriot prevailed 6-4, 7-6(2) in the 2010 Sydney title match, 6-4, 6-4 at the 2012 London Olympics, and 6-4, 6-4 on the indoor hard courts of Rotterdam in 2013.
Fast forward almost exactly three years from their last meeting and Gasquet is a considerable favorite at the moment. The 10th-ranked Frenchman missed all of February because of a back problem, but he turned in an impressively clean display in his Montpellier opener on Wednesday to beat Ernests Gulbis 6-4, 6-4. Baghdatis is toiling down at No. 53 in the world and has done nothing of real note since finishing runner-up in Atlanta last summer. The 30-year-old is through to the quarters this week thanks to straight-set defeats of Lukas Lacko and Taro Daniel. This is when the competition level increases drastically, and Gasquet should benefit from home-court advantage to start turning the tide against his opponent.
Pick: Gasquet in 2
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Michael Berrer vs. Alexander Zverev
Two Germans at very different stages of their careers will be squaring off when Zverev and Berrer meet again on Friday. They faced each other last fall in Beijing qualifying, with Berrer getting the job done 6-4, 6-4. The 35-year-old is known in part for upsetting Rafael Nadal at the 2015 Doha event and he hinted that last season would be his final one tour. But that did not turn out to be the case and this week suggests Berrer may have made the right decision to keep going. The world No. 121 fell in qualifying in Doha and at the Australian Open, but so far in Montpellier he has closed out Borna Coric and Kenny De Schepper in straight sets.
It has already been an outstanding week for Zverev, as well. The 18-year-old stared down a match point in his opening contest against Luca Vanni but saved it and managed to survive 6-7(3), 6-4, 7-5. Given new life, Zverev scored the biggest win of his career by upsetting world No. 13 Marin Cilic 7-6(4), 7-6(1) on Wednesday. Zverev was a semifinalist on the clay courts of Hamburg in 2014 and a quarterfinalist in Washington, D.C. last summer (lost to Cilic), so he knows what it is like to find himself in the latter stages of ATP-level tournaments. Playing with extreme confidence right now, Zverev should be able to power past his veteran countryman.
Pick: Zverev in 2
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who ya got?
Sascha in 3
Gasquet in 3 (respect to Baghdatis)
Gasquet in 2 sets.
Zverev in 2 sets.
likely
Gasquet in two. Berrer in three.
Wow, the magic wasn’t there for Sascha that 1st set. Well, Berrer knocked out Coric easily. Big Berrer teaching these upstarts a thing or two.
he served for the set
Must have tuned in right when he went sideways late in the 1st. At least he’s back. Wins the 2nd set!
Go Sascha!
going 3!
He had Berrer pushed back far enough that rally. I kept telling him… dropshot
Zverev playing with fire here
to say the least, lol… Phew, finally!
Berrer up a break in the 3rd
Welp. Wasn’t so lucky that game – Berrer got it.
Zverev breaks back. Great match.
Was making coffee but saw the last point! It is a good match. But frustrating to watch that game Sascha lost serve. And here we go another deuce…
Another tough hold. 3-2 Sascha , 3rd set. Attack the backhand and stay away from Berrer forehand if possible.
I suppose a case can be made for Sascha being at least mentally tired. That match with Cilic was huge. Vanni was not easy; he’s still playing doubles
Good save from Berrer on matchpoint. But another matchpoint…blown by Sascha.
3rd match point…blown again. Berrer is lucky at this point. Serving at 4-5.
This isn’t over yet…Berrer holds finally 5-5
great match. some errors at times, but extreme entertainment.
😀 the kid can lob.
Berrer serving 5-6
matchpoint for youngster #4..Saved by Berrer.
matchpoint #5. He gets it in style. Sorry to old Big Berr. Congrats young sensation – to the semi’s.
Ricky, will you post that video here for the semi’s? Love it. Berrer and Sascha 😀
https://twitter.com/BenRothenberg/status/695638693349093376
bromance
Big Benny R with the retweet of Ricky’s vine on #BroHug at net.
Don’t you?
#Epic
Thanks Hawk!
Even more fed up than ever not to see Monpelier matches. The only tournament being transmitted in France is Quito which frankly is the least interesting of the three. Envious of you all watching the Sascha-Berrer match.
In France no Montpellier? Sorry to hear. Yep. There’s been some great matches this week.
Congrats to Zverev on a tough W. Sad for berrer but happy that the young gun is in the semis and will have a career high rank after this. Hopefully berrer can build on this tournament and do well this season. Same with Zverev of course.
Berrer is looking good. He is cracking his 1HBH.
Nice. Hope he can keep it up.
Just tuned in to see Gasquet and Baggy. Gasquet 1st set 6-4. Close stats.
Anyone else watching tennis channel? Who is this commentator, anyone know? He’s comentated for Zverev v Berrer. He’s melodramatic and never shuts up for a second!
I was watching Zverev. Not sure who it is. Way better than the Quito person!
lol, They are both bad. But this guy is drooling, dripping with sugar, whispering whispering passionate superlatives. OMG.
Good tennis, though, Ricky! Gasquet v Baghdaddy
Marcos Baghdatis and Richard Gasquet showing their class and experience.
Gasquet in 2 great sets 64 64