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A bumper fourth day of main draw action at the 2023 ATP 250 Grand Prix Hassan II in Marrakech on Thursday (April 6) will feature all eight second-round matches. Six seeds and three qualifiers will be in action.
On a rain-marred Wednesday in Marrakech, Benjamin Bonzi beat lucky loser Alexey Vatutin in the only match of the day - carried over from the previous day - to complete the second-round lineup.
Without further ado, here are the predictions for the top four second-round matches at the claycourt event on Thursday:
#1 Botic van de Zandschulp vs Christopher O'Connell
Third seed Botic van de Zandschulp opens his Marrakech campaign against Australian Christopher O'Connell.
The 31st-ranked Zandschulp is 9-7 on the season, while the 87th-ranked O'Connell beat qualifier Riccardo Bonadio in straight sets to improve to 4-6.
The two players have never met before, but expect the higher-ranked Dutchman to take this one.
Prediction: Van de Zandschulp in straight sets
#2 Daniel Evans vs Alexei Popyrin
Second seed Daniel Evans gets his Marrakech campaign underway against Australia's Alexei Popyrin.
World No. 30 Evans - riding a six-match losing streak - is 3-9 on the season. Meanwhile, the 95th-ranked Popyrin beat Younes Lalami Laaroussi to improve to 7-6 in 2023.
Evans is 2-0 against Popyrin, but the in-form Australian should prevail to reach the last eight.
Prediction: Popyrin in three sets
#3 Lorenzo Musetti (Marrakech top seed) vs Hugo Gaston
Top seed Lorenzo Musetti opens his campaign at the Grand Prix Hassan II against Frenchman Hugo Gaston.
The 21st-ranked Musetti is 5-7 on the year, having made the United Cup finals with Team Italy and the Argentina Open quarterfinals. Meanwhile, World No. 104 Gaston got off the mark in 2023 in his third attempt by beating Jan-Lennard Struff from a set down.
Musetti won the pair's lone meeting at the 2021 NextGen ATP Finals and should emerge victorious again.
Prediction: Musetti in three sets
#4 Tallon Griekspoor vs Elias Ymer
Fourth seed Tallon Griekspoor takes on qualifier Elias Ymer as a place in the Marrakech quarterfinals beckons.
World No. 35 Griekspoor - the reigning Pune champion - is 13-5 in 2023. Meanwhile, the 157th-ranked Ymer improved to 3-3 on the season by beating wildcard Adam Moundir in straight sets in his tournament opener.
The higher-ranked Dutchman should take this first-time meeting, considering his better form this year and superior pedigree.
Prediction: Griekspoor in straight sets
