Marseille 2025 Day 4: Men's singles predictions ft. Daniil Medvedev vs Pierre-Hugues Herbert, Hubert Hurkacz vs Zhizhen Zhang | Open 13 Provence

Day 4 of the 2025 Open 13 Provence in Marseille, set to take place on February 13, promises some exciting men's singles matchups complemented by two doubles quarterfinals.

As the tournament progresses into its later stages, big names like Daniil Medvedev and Hubert Hurkacz remain in contention alongside promising players like Nuno Borges and Zhizhen Zhang, among others, who will be in action, battling for a place in the quarterfinal round. Here’s a look at the key matches of the day and predictions for each.

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#1 Daniil Medvedev vs Pierre-Hugues Herbert

Top seed Daniil Medvedev will face French qualifier Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the second round of the Marseille Open. Medvedev, a former World No. 1 and Grand Slam champion, will enter the match as a heavy favorite, boasting a solid indoor hardcourt record and remarkable consistency.

However, the Russian has struggled in his last two tournaments, suffering early exits at the hands of unseeded players in the second round of both events. At the Australian Open, he suffered a five-set defeat against young American Learner Tien, followed by an early exit at the ATP Rotterdam, where he lost to Mattia Bellucci in three sets. Here as well, after receiving a bye in the first round, he is up against a qualifier in the second round. With the baggage hovering around his head, there might be a concern heading into the match.

Herbert, a doubles specialist with excellent net skills, has troubled top players before with his serve-and-volley game. Additionally, he is coming off a strong win against his compatriot Harold Mayot in the first round.

Both of them met in the finals of 2021 Marseille, where Medvedev came out as the winner. The Russian leads the head-to-head record with a score of 2-1. Medvedev’s superior skill set should allow him to dominate the Frenchman and advance to the next round.

Prediction: Daniil Medvedev to win in straight sets.

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#2 Hubert Hurkacz vs Zhizhen Zhang

Fourth seed Hubert Hurkacz will face China’s Zhizhen Zhang in what promises to be an intriguing battle. Hurkacz, who won the title in 2020 by defeating Benjamin Bonzi, received a bye in the first round. He is also coming from a decent tournament at the Rotterdam, where he reached the semifinal before being defeated by the eventual winner, Carlos Alcaraz.

Zhizhen Zhang, the World No. 52 who has steadily risen through the ranks, will rely on his aggressive baseline game to trouble Hurkacz. The Chinese player defeated Quentin Hakys in the first round in an intense three-set battle 6-3, (2)6-7, 7-6(3).

Both the players have played four times so far, with the Polish leading the score 3-1. Their last meet came at the 2024 United Cup, where Hurkacz defeated Zhizhen in straight sets. Hurkacz's consistency makes him the favorite to advance, but Zhang is likely to provide a strong challenge.

Prediction: Hubert Hurkacz to win in three sets.

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#3 Nuno Borges vs Zizou Bergs

Eighth seed Nuno Borges takes on Belgium’s Zizou Bergs in the second round of the tournament. The current World No. 39 has made significant stretches in his career since last year. He won his first ATP title at Bastad by defeating Rafael Nadal in the final. At the Open13, he has advanced to the second round of the competition after defeating three-time Grand Slam champion, Stan Wawrinka in three sets.

Zizou Bergs, currently World No. 62, is an explosive shot-maker and will aim to dictate play with his aggressive style. He has had a decent start to the 2025 season, as he reached the finals of the Auckland Open and then helped Belgium reach the second round of the Davis Cup, where he won two singles matches against Chile. Bergs defeated the home favourite Clement Chidekh in straight sets in the previous round.

Early this year, both of them played against each other for the first time in their career at the semifinal of the Auckland Open, where the 25-year-old came out on top. Borges’ baseline prowess and ability to counter Bergs’ aggressive gameplay gives him a slight edge over the Belgian.

Prediction: Nuno Borges to win in three sets.

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#4 Jan-Lennard Struff vs Hugo Grenier

Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff, currently ranked World No. 46, takes on French qualifier Hugo Grenier in a clash between power and finesse. Struff defeated Frenchman Manuel Guinard in the first round, securing a straight-sets victory with both sets decided in tiebreaks.

Hugo Grenier, a local favorite ranked outside the top 200 in the world, has come through the qualifiers and defeated Arthur Gea in straight sets. The 28-year-old will have the crowd behind him and could use his versatility to test Struff’s patience.

This will mark the first meeting of their careers. The German’s experience on indoor hardcourts should see him through to the next round.

Prediction: Jan-Lennard Struff to win in straight sets.