Published on April 6, 2023 at 7:59 p.m. – updated on April 6, 2023 at 8:01 p.m.
After a completely missed first round, Benjamin Bonzi tried to react but ended up admitting defeat once morest Pavel Kotov in two sets during the round of 16 of the ATP tournament in Marrakech.
The French are not at the party this Thursday in Marrakech. A few minutes following the setback conceded by Hugo Gaston once morest Lorenzo Musetti, it was Morocco’s number 7 seed Benjamin Bonzi who fell in the round of 16 once morest Pavel Kotov. On Moroccan clay, the 50th player in the world was absent during a first one-sided round in favor of the Russian. From the first game, the Habs had to face three break points and, if they saved the first two, the third was good for the 114th player in the world. The latter, following having held his face-off without too much difficulty, once once more put Benjamin Bonzi once morest the wall. This time, it was at the second opportunity that Pavel Kotov won a fourth game in a row, a break confirmed in stride by a shutout. Taking advantage of the absence of the Habs, the Russian did not miss the opportunity to take his opponent’s service for a third time. At the time of engaging to conclude the first round, the 114th world conceded only one point and converted his first set point.
Bonzi raised his head too late
Undoubtedly upset by this catastrophic start to the match, Benjamin Bonzi replied at the start of the second set. Indeed, on his very first break point of the match, the native of Nîmes took the service of Pavel Kotov to lead three games to nothing following confirming his break. An advantage that the 50th player in the world held until the moment of serving to equalize at one set everywhere. Like losing his means once morest an opponent ready to try everything, Benjamin Bonzi did not offer himself the slightest set point, even letting the Russian return to five games everywhere… then take his service once more. This time, it was Pavel Kotov who wavered at the time of committing to seal the fate of the match. On a white game, the French snatched the decisive game but might not go through with his approach. Indeed, following winning the first point on his serve, Benjamin Bonzi conceded the next six. In pride, he dismissed a first match point before admitting defeat on his service (6-0, 7-6 in 1h26 ‘). Pavel Kotov will be the opponent of Christopher O’Connell, who beat the number 3 seed Botic van de Zandschulp (6-7, 6-4, 6-0 in 2h43 ‘) for a place in the last four.
