Kyle Edmund v Pablo Andujar ATP Marrakech tennis predictions, betting tips & live stream: Edmund to clinch first ATP Tour title
Andrew Hendrie in Tennis 15 Apr 2018
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Kyle Edmund vs Pablo Andujar is live from Marrakech at 2.00pm local time/BST on Sunday
Edmund going for first ATP title, Andujar targeting his fourth and third at the Grand Prix Hassan II
Watch and bet on tennis live from Marrakech online at Unibet > live streaming > tennis
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Kyle Edmund (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Kyle Edmund goes in search of a first ATP World Tour title on Sunday when he takes on two-time former champion Pablo Andujar in the Grand Prix Hassan II final in Marrakech.
Watch and bet on Edmund vs Andujar live from Marrakech online at Unibet > live streaming > tennis. The final begins at 2.00pm local time/BST on Sunday.
Second seed Kyle Edmund and the resurgent two-time former champion Pablo Andujar square off for the ATP 250 Grand Prix Hassan II title in Marrakech on Sunday. Edmund arrived in Marrakech on a three-match losing streak and without a win since the Australian Open, but the British No. 1 has returned to some of his best form over the last week in the Moroccan city, while Andujar - who is making his way back up the rankings after undergoing three elbow surgeries in the last three years - is currently riding a nine-match winning streak after winning the Alicante Challenger last week. Edmund and Andujar take to court at 2.00pm local time/BST on Sunday.
It’s been a tough last couple of months for Edmund, but the 23-year-old continues to check things off his tennis bucket list over the first quarter of the season, backing up reaching his first Grand Slam semi-final at the Australian Open in January by advancing into his maiden ATP World Tour final in Marrakech this week - can the South African-born Brit now capture his first title?
Despite being forced to play two matches on Saturday due to persistent rain earlier in the tournament, Edmund has largely cruised into the final without too much hassle, benefitting from a first round retirement against Jiri Vesely while leading 5-0 before easing past Radu Albot 6-2 6-4 in the second round. Edmund went to another level in taking out the confident Malek Jaziri in his first match on Saturday before registering an excellent 6-3 6-4 victory over experienced former top 10 player Richard Gasquet to secure his spot in the Grand Prix Hassan II final.
Unlike many British men over the years, Edmund actually thrives on clay, with his heavy groundstrokes - especially off the forehand wing - complimenting the surface nicely, while the slow bounce gives him more time to set up his booming groundstrokes. Edmund’s first six titles on the Futures circuit all came on clay between 2012 and 2014, while he also picked up two Challenger titles on the surface before transitioning to a full-time ATP player, including his last Challenger triumph in Rome in 2016 when he beat Filip Krajinovic in the final.
After rising as high as No. 42 in the world in 2017 following semi-finals in Atlanta, Winston-Salem and Vienna, along with reaching the third rounds of Roland Garros and the U.S. Open, Edmund climbed to a career-high ranking of No. 24 earlier this year after becoming just the sixth British man to reach a Grand Slam semi-final in the Open Era when he beat Grigor Dimitrov and Kevin Anderson on his way to the final four of the Australian Open, where his brilliant run was ended by Marin Cilic. Having recaptured some of that form in Marrakech, is Edmund ready to win a first ATP World Tour title?
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Pablo Andujar (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)
He’ll have his work cut out for him against a man who is looking to make tournament history in Marrakech. After winning back-to-back ATP titles at the Grand Prix Hassan II when the tournament was held in Casablanca in 2011-12, Pablo Andujar is looking to become the first man to win the ATP 250 event three times on Sunday. Andujar, who also won the clay court title in Gstaad in 2014, has continued his fine form into Marrakech this week, beginning his campaign with straight sets victory over Ilya Ivashka and Andrea Arnaboldi before surviving a tight three-set battle with qualifier Alexey Vatutin in the quarter-finals in his first match on Saturday. Andujar then returned to court soon after and claimed a much-needed straight sets win over Joao Sousa to book his spot in the final.
"I’m extremely happy today," Andujar said. "I didn’t expect to be in the final at as I’m just coming back from injury. Playing in Morocco is always very special for me as I’ve won here in the past.
Tomorrow will be a tough final against Kyle (Edmund), he’s an excellent player. I’m a bit tired right now, but very much looking forward to the final and very happy with my two wins today."
The injury Andujar mentioned was very serious and could have ended his career. The Spaniard was forced to undergo three surgeries on his elbow over the last year or so, with Andujar a combined 2-12 at all levels since September 2016 before he surged back into form by winning the Alicante Challenger last week. Starting the season outside the world’s top 1,800, Andujar - who was a Madrid Masters semi-finalist in 2013 before hitting a career-high ranking of No. 32 in 2015 - is now back up to a projected mark of No. 205 by extending his winning streak to nine matches in making the Marrakech final. If he wins the title on Sunday, Andujar will climb even higher to around No. 155.
The pair have only played once on tour before, with Edmund winning a qualifying match in Beijing in straight sets in 2016. Both players are in a completely different spot in their careers now, so we can pretty much disregard that result when analysing this final. Andujar hasn’t played much tennis over the last two years and now he’s set to play his 10th match in the last two weeks after playing two matches on Saturday, one a taxing three-setter. Edmund meanwhile has only played six matches since the Australian Open and hasn’t lost more than four games in a set this week. The British player has the weaponry to excel on clay and has more firepower behind his groundstrokes, allowing him to finish points quicker. If Edmund plays like he has all week, he should be collecting his first ATP title on Sunday.
Andrew Hendrie in Tennis 15 Apr 2018
Get Author Alerts
Kyle Edmund vs Pablo Andujar is live from Marrakech at 2.00pm local time/BST on Sunday
Edmund going for first ATP title, Andujar targeting his fourth and third at the Grand Prix Hassan II
Watch and bet on tennis live from Marrakech online at Unibet > live streaming > tennis
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Kyle Edmund (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Kyle Edmund goes in search of a first ATP World Tour title on Sunday when he takes on two-time former champion Pablo Andujar in the Grand Prix Hassan II final in Marrakech.
Watch and bet on Edmund vs Andujar live from Marrakech online at Unibet > live streaming > tennis. The final begins at 2.00pm local time/BST on Sunday.
Second seed Kyle Edmund and the resurgent two-time former champion Pablo Andujar square off for the ATP 250 Grand Prix Hassan II title in Marrakech on Sunday. Edmund arrived in Marrakech on a three-match losing streak and without a win since the Australian Open, but the British No. 1 has returned to some of his best form over the last week in the Moroccan city, while Andujar - who is making his way back up the rankings after undergoing three elbow surgeries in the last three years - is currently riding a nine-match winning streak after winning the Alicante Challenger last week. Edmund and Andujar take to court at 2.00pm local time/BST on Sunday.
It’s been a tough last couple of months for Edmund, but the 23-year-old continues to check things off his tennis bucket list over the first quarter of the season, backing up reaching his first Grand Slam semi-final at the Australian Open in January by advancing into his maiden ATP World Tour final in Marrakech this week - can the South African-born Brit now capture his first title?
Despite being forced to play two matches on Saturday due to persistent rain earlier in the tournament, Edmund has largely cruised into the final without too much hassle, benefitting from a first round retirement against Jiri Vesely while leading 5-0 before easing past Radu Albot 6-2 6-4 in the second round. Edmund went to another level in taking out the confident Malek Jaziri in his first match on Saturday before registering an excellent 6-3 6-4 victory over experienced former top 10 player Richard Gasquet to secure his spot in the Grand Prix Hassan II final.
Unlike many British men over the years, Edmund actually thrives on clay, with his heavy groundstrokes - especially off the forehand wing - complimenting the surface nicely, while the slow bounce gives him more time to set up his booming groundstrokes. Edmund’s first six titles on the Futures circuit all came on clay between 2012 and 2014, while he also picked up two Challenger titles on the surface before transitioning to a full-time ATP player, including his last Challenger triumph in Rome in 2016 when he beat Filip Krajinovic in the final.
After rising as high as No. 42 in the world in 2017 following semi-finals in Atlanta, Winston-Salem and Vienna, along with reaching the third rounds of Roland Garros and the U.S. Open, Edmund climbed to a career-high ranking of No. 24 earlier this year after becoming just the sixth British man to reach a Grand Slam semi-final in the Open Era when he beat Grigor Dimitrov and Kevin Anderson on his way to the final four of the Australian Open, where his brilliant run was ended by Marin Cilic. Having recaptured some of that form in Marrakech, is Edmund ready to win a first ATP World Tour title?
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Pablo Andujar (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)
He’ll have his work cut out for him against a man who is looking to make tournament history in Marrakech. After winning back-to-back ATP titles at the Grand Prix Hassan II when the tournament was held in Casablanca in 2011-12, Pablo Andujar is looking to become the first man to win the ATP 250 event three times on Sunday. Andujar, who also won the clay court title in Gstaad in 2014, has continued his fine form into Marrakech this week, beginning his campaign with straight sets victory over Ilya Ivashka and Andrea Arnaboldi before surviving a tight three-set battle with qualifier Alexey Vatutin in the quarter-finals in his first match on Saturday. Andujar then returned to court soon after and claimed a much-needed straight sets win over Joao Sousa to book his spot in the final.
"I’m extremely happy today," Andujar said. "I didn’t expect to be in the final at as I’m just coming back from injury. Playing in Morocco is always very special for me as I’ve won here in the past.
Tomorrow will be a tough final against Kyle (Edmund), he’s an excellent player. I’m a bit tired right now, but very much looking forward to the final and very happy with my two wins today."
The injury Andujar mentioned was very serious and could have ended his career. The Spaniard was forced to undergo three surgeries on his elbow over the last year or so, with Andujar a combined 2-12 at all levels since September 2016 before he surged back into form by winning the Alicante Challenger last week. Starting the season outside the world’s top 1,800, Andujar - who was a Madrid Masters semi-finalist in 2013 before hitting a career-high ranking of No. 32 in 2015 - is now back up to a projected mark of No. 205 by extending his winning streak to nine matches in making the Marrakech final. If he wins the title on Sunday, Andujar will climb even higher to around No. 155.
The pair have only played once on tour before, with Edmund winning a qualifying match in Beijing in straight sets in 2016. Both players are in a completely different spot in their careers now, so we can pretty much disregard that result when analysing this final. Andujar hasn’t played much tennis over the last two years and now he’s set to play his 10th match in the last two weeks after playing two matches on Saturday, one a taxing three-setter. Edmund meanwhile has only played six matches since the Australian Open and hasn’t lost more than four games in a set this week. The British player has the weaponry to excel on clay and has more firepower behind his groundstrokes, allowing him to finish points quicker. If Edmund plays like he has all week, he should be collecting his first ATP title on Sunday.
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