Seeds Hubert Hurkacz (No. 4) and Nuno Borges (No. 8) will probably be a part of second-round competitors on the indoor laborious courts of Marseille on Thursday. They’re going up in opposition to Zhizhen Zhang and Zizou Bergs, respectively.Zhizhen Zhang vs. (4) Hubert HurkaczWith prime seed Daniil Medvedev slumping, Hurkacz most likely needs to be thought-about the title favourite on the Open 13. The Twentieth-ranked Pole is a drive indoors and is coming off a semifinal displaying in Rotterdam, the place he misplaced a particularly high-quality showdown in opposition to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz. Hurkacz is 8-3 all time in Marseille with a title in 2023 and a semifinal efficiency final February (misplaced to Ugo Humbert).
(8) Nuno Borges vs. Zizou BergsBorges and Bergs will probably be squaring off for the second time already this yr and for the third time general. Bergs survived a roller-coaster experience final month in Auckland, the place he received 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 within the semifinals after Borges served for the match at 5-4 within the third. Their solely different contest got here within the ultimate of a 2020 Futures occasion, the place Borges triumphed 6-4, 7-6(6).
Provided that Borges arguably ought to have received the Auckland battle and stays in superior kind, he ought to have likelihood to get revenge on Thursday. The world No. 39 from Portugal is 8-4 this season with a third-round effort on the Australian Open (misplaced to Carlos Alcaraz in 4 units) and a three-set victory over Stan Wawrinka in his Marseille opener. Bergs is enjoying nicely, too, however Borges is just in superior kind.
Choose: Borges in 2
