Pavel Kotov vs Roberto Carballes Baena Prediction & Betting Tips - ATP Grand Prix Hassan II

Prediction published on 05/04/2024, 14:07  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 05/04/2024 at 15:07 in Tennis Predictions

Defending champion Roberto Carballes Baena takes on unseeded Pavel Kotov for a place in the final of the Grand Prix Hassan II. The winner will face either unseeded Matteo Berrettini or seventh seed Mariano Navone, the only remaining seed. Baena may have won this title last year but he’s unseeded in Marrakech in 2024. He was ranked 64th at the start of this ATP 250 clay court tournament. With all the points earned from last year to defend, he’s only 86th in the live rankings. It’s been a good return to form for Baena after a poor 2024 so far. He played five matches on the South American clay court tour but won just one of them. It’s gone so much better back in Marrakech with He knocked out third seeded Daniel Evans in round three. The last eight saw him take on qualifier Nicolas Moreno de Alboran, winning in three sets with the middle one lost. He's played Kotov once before and beat him on clay two years ago.

Pavel Kotov stands between Baena and a second successive Marrakech final. Kotov is the world number 68 but a place lower in the live rankings. That's because he'd defending the points when reaching this stage in Marrakech last year. He’s reached the last four without dropping a set. Round one saw him beat wild card Eliot Bencherit and then defeated eighth seed Fabio Cobolli for the loss of seven games. He defeated another Italian in the last eight and only dropped three games against qualifier Fabio Fognini.  If he can beat Baena, it’ll take him into only his second ATP Tour final. The other was in Stockholm last year when losing to Gael Monfils. That was played on a hard court though. We tip Baena to win this match and reach another Marrakech final.