Grand Prix Hassan II - an ATP 250 category tournament, on Red Clay, in Marrakech, Morocco , 8-14 April 2019.
Defending champion:
Pablo Andújar who defeated Kyle Edmund (2) 6-2 6-2
Second round
- Wildcard Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeated Kyle Edmund (3) 7-6(6) 6-3
In this, their first meeting, both players won big on their first serve in the opening set. Edmund found it harder to land his first serve legally - 57% compared with Tsonga at 76%, but the Brit backed up impressively on second serve, winning 11 of 15 available points.
These stats were reflected on the court, where only one break point was faced, and Tsonga saved that in the fifth game. A tie break was an inevitable consequence.
After exchanging mini breaks on the the first two points, serve was held through to 5-4, at which stage Tsonga struck a forehand down the line winner and had two set points.
Edmund successfully swatted off both to achieve 6-6, but after an ace from Tsonga, the third seed faced another set point, this one on his serve. A failed forehand presented the set to Tsonga.
Edmund was under constant pressure in set two, while Tsonga dominated his own service games, winning 16 of 19 points. The Brit had to save two break points to lead 2-1, but was broken to 15 in game five, the forehand again proving an Achilles heel. Serving at 3-5 to stay alive, Edmund was broken again, and the finalist from last year exited the tournament much earlier in 2019, Tsonga winning strongly.
- Qualifier Lorenzo Sonego defeated Robin Haase 7-6(5) 6-3
- Taro Daniel defeated qualifier Adrian Menéndez-Maceiras 6-2 1-6 6-1
- Gilles Simon (4) defeated Guido Andreozzi 6-2 6-2
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