Top two seeds Daniil Medvedev and Ugo Humbert will headline quarterfinal competition in Marseille on Friday. Medvedev continues his campaign against Jan-Lennnard Struff, while Humbert faces Lorenzo Sonego.
(7) Lorenzo Sonego vs. (2) Ugo Humbert
Humbert and Sonego will be squaring off for the seventh time in their careers when they clash in the quarterfinals of the Open 13 on Friday. The head-to-head series is all tied up at 3-3, although it is worth noting–and also unsurprising–that all three of Sonego’s victories have come on clay (two at Roland Garros). Humbert has won both of their previous hard-court encounters; 6-3, 6-4 at the 2021 Toronto Masters and 7-5, 3-6, 6-0 two years ago in Beijing.
In outstanding form over the past couple of seasons, Humbert has done his best work on indoor hard courts. Three of his six ATP titles and one of his two finals (the 2024 Paris Masters) have come on this surface. The 17th-ranked Frenchman continued his winning ways in front of the home crowd with a 7-6(7), 6-4 defeat of Alexander Bublik on Wednesday. Sonego earned his place in the last eight by beating Botic van de Zandschulp 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 prior to getting a walkover from Luca Van Assche. The 35th-ranked Italian can be dangerous, but Humbert on an indoor hard court in France is simply too tough.
Pick: Humbert in 2
(1) Daniil Medvedev vs. Jan-Lennard Struff
Medvedev took a late wild card into Marseille as he seeks to build some much-needed momentum. The 28-year-old did not win a single title in 2024 and has fallen from his peak of No. 1 to eighth in the rankings. Medvedev is just 3-2 so far this season, but he began his tournament in encouraging fashion–erasing Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-2, 6-4 on Thursday.
Up next for the top seed is an eighth meeting with Struff, who trails the head-to-head series 6-1. They have faced each other twice on indoor hard courts, with Medvedev prevailing in a third-set tiebreaker at this same Marseille event in 2017 and 6-4, 6-4 at the Davis Cup Finals in 2021. Struff has advanced this week with victories over lucky loser Manuel Guinar and qualifier Hugo Grenier–both in difficult fashion. The 46th-ranked German is struggling right now and has had major problems with Medvedev in the past, so count on the Russian securing a spot in the semis.
Pick: Medvedev in 2