Fabio Fognini vs Pavel Kotov Prediction & Betting Tips - ATP Grand Prix Hassan II

Prediction published on 04/04/2024, 06:27  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 05/04/2024 at 01:50 in Tennis Predictions

Fabio Fognini bids to cause another upset in the Grand Prix Hassan II clay court tournament. The Italian qualifier takes on unseeded Pavel Kotov in the last eight of this tournament in Marrakech. Possible semifinal opponents include third seeded Daniel Evans. Fognini is world number 100 in the latest ranking list. He had to win two matches just to get into the main draw and both went to a final set. His final qualifier against Lucas Miedler required him to come from behind to get the victory and go into the main draw. Round one saw another three-setter played as he again came from behind, this time to beat Hugo Gaston. That took him into a match against the top seeded Laslo Djere and again he needed a final set. This time he did win the first set but his four matches have taken him nine hours to complete. Those victories have taken him up to 91st in the rankings, well below the ninth place he achieved in 2019.

Pavel Kotov is ranked 68th, seven places below his career-high. The Russian also caused a shock in round two. After a first round straight sets win over wildcard Elliot Benchetrit, he defeated the eighth seed Fabio Cobolli. He won the first set for the loss of just one game and clinched the match with a second-set tie-break win. Kotov is now 71st in the live rankings as he's defending the points earned when reaching the semifinal here last year. The 25-year-old (11 years younger than his opponent) also went deep in two Challenger Tour clay court tournaments last year. We tip him to beat Fognini and again get to the last four in Marrakech.