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The fifth day of action at the 2023 European Open in Antwerp on Thursday will feature four second-round matches. Three seeds and a qualifier will be in action at the ATP 250 event.
On Wednesday, Botic van de Zandschulp, Arthur Fils and Alexander Bublik booked their places in the next round. They beat Dominic Strickler, Mark Lajal and Gregoire Barrere respectively.
Without further ado, here's a look at how the remaining four second-round matches could pan out on Thursday:
#1 Maximilian Marterer vs Nuno Borges
German qualifier Maximilian Marterer will take on the unseeded Nuno Borges for a place in the Antwerp quarterfinals.
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World No. 127 Marterer emerged from qualifying and beat seventh seed Richard Gasquet in straight sets in his opener to improve to 7-4 on the season. Meanwhile, the 74th-ranked Borges took care of Dominik Koepfer in straight sets for his ninth win in 26 matches in 2023.
The two players haven't clashed before, but expect the more in-form Borges to take the win.
Pick: Nuno Borges in three sets
#2 Jan-Lennard Struff vs Hugo Gaston
Second seed Jan-Lennard Struff will lock horns with the unseeded Hugo Gaston as a place in the Antwerp last-eight beckons.
World No. 27 Struff opens his campaign after a first-round bye and is 17-13 on the season. Meanwhile, the 96th-ranked Gaston beat compatriot Arthur Rinderknech in straight sets for his fourth win in 11 matches in 2023.
Gaston won the pair's lone clash in the Morocco opening round this year, but Struff should prevail on the faster Antwerp surface.
Pick: Jan-Lennard Struff in straight sets
#3 Stefanos Tsitsipas (Antwerp top seed) vs Botic van de Zandschulp
Top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas will get his Antwerp campaign underway against the unseeded Botic van de Zandschulp.
World No. 7 Tsistipas had a first-round bye and is 43-19 in 2023. Meanwhile, the 67th-ranked Zandschulp beat Dominic Strickler in straight sets for his 19th win in 40 matches this season.
The two players haven't locked horns before, but expect the more experienced and in-form Tsitsipas to emerge victorious.
Pick: Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets
#4 Dominic Thiem vs Yannick Hanfmann
The unseeded Dominic Thiem will take on fifth seed Yannick Hanfmann for a place in the quarterfinals.
The 86th-ranked Thiem beat wildcard Luca Nardi in three sets for his 17th win in 37 matches in 2023. Meanwhile, World No. 56 Hanfmann saw off qualifier Alexander Blockx in straight sets to improve to improve to 22-19 on the season.
Hanfmann won the pair's lone clash in the Kitzbuhel quarterfinal this year, but expect Thiem to win this one.
Pick: Dominic Thiem in three sets
