Quarter-final action at the 2019 ATP Metz Open is on Friday, September 20 and here are some of the top matches to be played today. Latest Pablo Carreno Busta v Aljaz Bedene & Benoit Paire v Gregoire Barrere tips and predictions with their previews along with others can be found below.
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Pablo Carreno Busta v Aljaz Bedene Preview
This will be the fifth meeting between Pablo Carreno Busta and Aljaz Bedene and they have split their previous four matches, all on clay.
Spaniard Carreno Busta was ranked in the top 10 in 2017, and after a disappointing last season and a half, has been attempting to return to the tour as a force to consider, but has not yet met with the results he would ideally have liked. He remains ranked outside the top 50 in the world and will hope to better that sooner rather than later.
A convincing round of 16 win against top seed and world number 14 David Goffin in straight sets will have boosted his confidence, as he will hope for a good weekend performance here onward, at Metz.
Slovenian Aljaz Bedene has been around for most of the decade and while he was ranked in the top 50 last year, is currently ranked 76th on the ATP Rankings. He did well to reach the third round of the US Open, and surprised many a French fan as he defeated Giles Simon in the round of 16 here at the Moselle Open. However, overall he continues to under-perform at tournaments.
The Spaniard is the better player and should win this round of eight match in straight sets, given current form.
Tip: Carreno Busta to win in straight sets: 5/4 (888Sport)
Benoit Paire v Gregoire Barrere Preview
French veteran Benoit Paire plays young and rising countryman Gregoire Barrere for a spot in the final four at the Moselle Open.
Paire has had a good last few months, as he is ranked just outside the top 20 in the world at the moment. A tightly contested win against compatriot Richard Gasquet in the last round, definitely tested Paire, but also allowed him to display his confidence and form at the moment, as he was able to come back from a set down.
Barrere is still relatively new on the circuit without much to report yet outside of the ATP Challenge and ITF Futures tournaments in terms of success. He did well to defeat Polish ‘Next Gen’ and Winston-Salem champion Hubert Hurkacz in straight sets 6-2, 6-2 in the opener.
An exciting match-up between the ever unpredictable Paire and the young and exciting Barrere is what we can hope for. Expect Paire to win this in straight sets, but not without its moments of excitement.
Tip: Paire to win in straight sets: 13/10 (888Sport)
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Lucas Pouille v Filip Krajinovic Preview
Lucas Pouille will look to solidify his 2-0 unbeaten record against Serbian Filip Krajinovic in the quarter-finals of the Mosell Open. Both their meetings were in 2018, indoors in Marseille, and outdoors in Dubai.
Newly married Pouille is still looking to get back to the heights he had reached in early 2018, when he was ranked in the top 10 in the world. Apart from a semi-final showing at the Australian Open in January, there has not been much of note for him this season and he will look to reverse it in the last two months that remain. A good win against Italian Lorenzo Sonego has set him up well to make a deep run this weekend, at home.
Serbian Filip Krajinovic has had a few good tournaments in the last two seasons, but not maintained any level of form. With the hard and indoor courts during this swing being to his liking, he will look to hone in here on the rest of the season. Wins against Peter Gojowczyk and veteran Fernando Versdasco will have done a world of good to his confidence.
Expect a well contested match here between both players, with Pouille edging out his opponent in three tight sets.
Tip: Pouille to win in three sets: 7/2 (888Sport)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga v Nikoloz Basilashvili Preview
Frenchman Jo-Wilfied Tsonga and Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili will meet for the third time in their respective careers, in the quarter-finals of the Moselle Open. Both their meetings thus far have been on the outdoor clay at Lyon and they have split their victories.
Home favorite Tsonga has been working on returning from an injury lay-off and had a mixed season, winning in Montpelier, and putting up good performances from time to time, but unable to maintain any consistency. After a sluggish start here against Pablo Andujar, he had a very convincing win against countryman Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the round of 16.
Nikoloz Basilashvili has had good wins at the ATP 500s in Beijing (2018), and Hamburg (2019), and managed to keep his ranking within the top 20 in the world. A tougher than expected opening match against little known Yannick Maden may have come as a surprise, but he also gained some good match practice.
A good match on the cards, and the home crowds will definitely work to Tsonga’s favor. It is likely a match to be decided by a few points. Expect Tsonga, buoyed on by the home crowd to inch through in three sets.
Tip: Tsonga to win in three sets: 3/1 (888Sport)