The ATP’s Marseille tournament now flows into the quarterfinals on Friday after some intriguing happenings on Thursday. Our tennis picks went 3-0 on Thursday with Nick Kyrgios, Andrey Kuznetsov and Richard Gasquet all advanced to cash in for us. Kyrgios had a relatively easy time of things with Teymuraz Gabashvili, winning 6-4, 6-4 in straight sets. As for Kuznetsov, he also made quick work of his opponent. He smoked Quentin Halys 6-0, 6-4 to advance to the quarters. As for Gasquet, he had the crowd on his side and won easily in front of the home audience. He was challenged in the first set when he needed a tiebreaker to advance but then Ernestic Gulbis mailed it in during the second set as Gasquet took it 6-3.
For Friday’s tennis picks, keep in mind that there’s a schedule quirk which might come into play for the quarterfinal round. We’ll cover that below as we take a look at the three matches on this card:
Stan Wawrinka vs. Benoit Paire
Odds: Wawrinka -385
There is not going to be any hatred in this match. Wawrinka of Switzerland and Paire of France are very close friends on the ATP Tour. They are going to have fun with this match, in part because the stakes are not that high – it might be different at a Grand Slam event. Nevertheless, it’s still competition, and that much has to be noted. If you were to pick a player who would better handle this situation, it’s clearly Wawrinka. He’s done a lot more in tennis and knows how to focus himself when he really needs to. He’s not immune to bad losses in smaller tournaments, but he has more of a track record of getting the job done than Paire. The French underdog in this match is simply too prone to fly off the handle or hit an ill-advised, low-percentage shot which makes him give away points without putting forth a full effort.
One thing to note here is the schedule. Wawrinka played a very long three-set match in the second round, so he might be tired. However, he played his second-round match on Wednesday before getting a day off on Thursday. Wawrinka is actually the fresher player.
Is Paire going to be able to demonstrate the toughness which will be needed to knock off the number one seed in Marseille? He has the game, but does he have the temperament? Probably not. Take Wawrinka.
Pick: Wawrinka in straight sets
Richard Gasquet vs. Nick Kyrgios
Odds: Gasquet -161
This should be the best match of the day in Marseille. Gasquet rolled past Ernests Gulbis in straight sets, a very good result for him and an indication of solid form. Kyrgios also won his second-round match in straight sets, so fatigue will not be a problem for him. Ultimately, this feels like a very close match, either way, with Kyrgios having the better serve and Gasquet owning the better backhand. Gasquet sometimes flinches in the spotlight, but he looks strong right now. Playing in his home country, he’ll probably get just enough of a boost at the right moments to narrowly beat Kyrgios in three sets. Kyrgios is always a wildcard. He’s probably the more talented player but not as consistent. Take Gasquet with your tennis picks.
Pick: Gasquet in three sets
Marin Cilic vs. Andrey Kuznetsov
Odds: Cilic -357
This is a matchup in which Andrey Kuznetsov – no relation to fellow pro Alex Kuznetsov – is likely to be outgunned. Cilic did play an extended three-setter in the second round, but once again, like Wawrinka, that second-round match was on a Wednesday. Cilic got a lot of match play in, but he then got a day off in which to rest. This should help Cilic even the playing field in terms of preparation. If both players are equally prepared, Cilic is in a much better position to win, especially with his crosscourt backhand. He should prevail in straight sets, so take him with your tennis picks.
Pick: Cilic in straight sets
