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On the fourth day of the Rotterdam Open on Thursday, five second-round matches will be played. Three seeds and a wildcard will be in action at the ATP 500 tournament.
On the third day on Wednesday, the likes of Gael Monfils and Grigor Dimitrov emerged victorious, respectively beating Denis Shapovalov and Lorenzo Sonego in straight sets.
So, without further ado, here's a look at how the following four second-round matches in Rotterdam could pan out on Thursday.
#1 Grigor Dimitrov vs Marton Fucsovics
Sixth seed Grigor Dimitrov will take on Hungary's Marton Fucsovics for a place in the Rotterdam quarterfinals.
The 13th-ranked Dimitrov improved to 11-2 in 2024 by beating Lorenzo Sonego in his campaign opener. Meanwhile, World No. 86 Fucsovics is 2-2 on the season after taking down Fabian Marozsan in the first round.
The pair are 2-2 on Tour, but Dimitrov won their last meeting at the Australian Open last month and should prevail again.
Pick: Dimitrov in straight sets
#2 Holger Rune vs Alexander Shevchenko
Third seed Holger Rune will continue his Rotterdam campaign against Kazakhstan's Alexander Shevchenko.
World No. 7 Rune got his campaign up and running at the ATP 500 event with a three-set win over Roman Safiullin for his eighth win in 11 matches in 2024. Meanwhile, the 57th-ranked Shevchenko is 6-5 on the season after beating Zhizhen Zhang.
Rune won their lone meeting in Brisbane this year and should repeat the trick again.
Pick: Rune in straight sets
#3 Hubert Hurkacz (Rotterdam fourth seed) vs Tallon Griekspoor
Fourth seed Hubert Hurkacz will lock horns with Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands as a place in the Rotterdam last-eight beckons.
The eighth-ranked Hurkacz saw off Jiri Lehecka in a third-set tiebreak, saving three set points, to improve to 11-4 in 2024. Meanwhile, World No. 29 Griekspoor is 5-3 on the season and also came through a third-set tiebreak against Lorenzo Musetti in the last round.
Hurkacz has won two of his three meetings with Griekspoor, including their lone clash on hardcourt, and should take the win.
Pick Hurkacz in three sets
#4 Emil Ruusuvuori vs Jan-Lennard Struff
Emil Ruusuvuori will take on Jan-Lennard Struff in an all-unseeded second-round clash.
World No. 55 Ruusuvuori needed three sets to see off seventh seed Ugo Humbert for his eighth win in 11 matches in 2024. Meanwhile, the 25th-ranked Struff is 4-3 on the season after beating Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in a third-set tiebreak.
It's a first-time meeting, but expect the big-serving Struff to take the win.
Pick: Struff in three sets
