Grand Prix Hassan II, Marrakech, Morocco, ATP 250

britbox

Multiple Major Winner
Joined
Apr 14, 2013
Messages
27,355
Reactions
6,144
Points
113
Location
Gold Coast, Australia
DATE: 04 Apr 2016 - 10 Apr 2016
SURFACE: CLAY
PRIZE MONEY: €463,520
FIELD SIZE: 28
REIGNING CHAMPION:
Martin Klizan

Seeds:
1 G. Garcia-Lopez
2 J. Sousa
3 B. Coric
4 F. Delbonis
5 T. Gabashvili
6 A. Ramos-Vinolas
7 P. Carreno Busta
8 J. Vesely


Marrakech Night Market
by Scott Rae, on Flickr

About Marrakech

Marrakech is the fourth largest city in Morocco, after Casablanca, Fes and Tangier. The strategy of Morocco is to develop the inland city as a tourism hotspot. Sport is playing a major role in this with Marrakech now hosting a WTA tournament to go with established World Touring Car Championship, Formula Two and Auto GP races.

Marrakech comprises an old fortified city packed with vendors and their stalls (the medina), bordered by modern neighborhoods, the most prominent of which is Gueliz. Today it is one of the busiest cities in Africa and serves as a major economic centre and tourist destination.

Marrakech has the largest traditional Berber market in Morocco, with some 18 souks selling wares ranging from traditional Berber carpets to modern consumer electronics. Crafts employ a significant percentage of the population, who primarily sell their products to tourists.



Conditions

Marrakech enjoys a hot dry climate with average temperature highs of 75 degrees Fahrenheit and 60% humidity.

The players

The top seed for the ATP 250 event is perennial attendee and 38th ranked Guillermo Garcia-Lopez. The 32 year old Spanish veteran won the title in 2014 but did not enjoy a happy return last year when suffering a surprise first round exit at the hands of Moroccan based wildcard Lamine Ouahab in straight sets.


Guillermo García López 18
by blogcomunicacion, on Flickr

Garcia-Lopez will also face stern opposition from the second seed Joao Sousa, winner of the Valencia Open last year and a tough customer on the red dirt. Sousa has had a difficult start to the year winning only 3 times in 11 starts but expect him to fare better here on his preferred surface.

Many eyes will be trained on rising youngster Borna Ćorić. The 19 year old Croatian is considered to be one of the future stars of the sport and already features heavily in the ATP's "Nextgen" campaign to market the younger players on the rise.

Ćorić is regarded as an all-surface player but will be confident on clay having previously reached the semi-finals of the Junior French Open and making the 3rd round in his first senior Roland Garros campaign last year.


Borna Coric
by Alex Uvarov, on Flickr

2015 champion Martin Klizan is not returning to defend his title.
 
Last edited:

britbox

Multiple Major Winner
Joined
Apr 14, 2013
Messages
27,355
Reactions
6,144
Points
113
Location
Gold Coast, Australia
Draw:

snip-marrakech_zpsqvfvpahm.png
 

Moxie

Multiple Major Winner
Joined
Apr 14, 2013
Messages
42,549
Reactions
13,755
Points
113


Do hang around for the lovely "Blackbird" at the end.
 

JesuslookslikeBorg

Grand Slam Champion
Joined
Apr 14, 2013
Messages
6,323
Reactions
1,074
Points
113
borna coric is soaking up the desert sun..and hopefully soaking up large quantities of win. :dance2:
 

Billie

Nole fan
Joined
Apr 21, 2013
Messages
5,330
Reactions
850
Points
113
Location
Canada
Coric is playing Bolelli tomorrow, as well as Sousa - Bagnis.
 

britbox

Multiple Major Winner
Joined
Apr 14, 2013
Messages
27,355
Reactions
6,144
Points
113
Location
Gold Coast, Australia
Results Wire from Marrakech

Daniel Gimeno-Traver bt Teymuraz Gabashvili 6/3 6/4
Paul-Henri Mathieu bt Albert Ramos-Vinolas 7/5 6/3
Pablo Carreno Busta bt Evgeny Donskoy 6/2 6/3
Jiri Vesely bt Inigo Cervantes 6/1 6/3
Nicolas Almagro bt Radu Albot 6/4 6/3
Facundo Bagnis bt Lamine Ouahab 7/6 (2) 6/2
Simone Bolelli bt Taro Daniel 7/5 6/4
Thiemo De Bakker bt Amine Ahouda 7/5 7/6 (2)
Maximo Gonzalez bt Daniel Munoz De La Nava 6/1 6/4
Denis Istomin bt Lorenzo Giustino 7/6 (1) 6/4
Nikola Mektic bt Reda El Amrani 7/5 6/3
Albert Montanes bt Franko Skugor 6/4 6/4
 

britbox

Multiple Major Winner
Joined
Apr 14, 2013
Messages
27,355
Reactions
6,144
Points
113
Location
Gold Coast, Australia
Round of 16

Facundo Bagnis bt Joao Sousa 6/2 6/4
Albert Montanes bt Daniel Gimeno-Traver 6/4 6/4

Sousa (second seed) goes out rather tamely.
 

Moxie

Multiple Major Winner
Joined
Apr 14, 2013
Messages
42,549
Reactions
13,755
Points
113
On paper, GGLopez v. Almagro might have been the toughest match available in the tournament. Tough 2nd round, and good job by GGL. I'll be interest to see GGL v Coric, if they get there. The top half looks the more likely to hold the trophy. I'd wager either Carreño Busta or Bagnis gets out of that half to the final.