🎾 ATP Marrakech: Benchetrit vs De Jong – Match Preview

🎾 ATP Marrakech: Benchetrit vs De Jong – Match Preview

🧠 Form & Context

🟨 Elliot Benchetrit

• 🏠 Home crowd support: Playing in Morocco, the local favorite could feed off the energy in Marrakech.
• 📉 Limited recent form: Only 3–3 at Futures level in 2025, no clay wins yet this season.
• 🧱 Out of rhythm: Hasn’t won an ATP main draw match since 2020 and is ranked outside the top 600.
• 💥 Past H2H win: Beat De Jong in a 2022 Futures final, but circumstances were very different then.

🟥 Jesper de Jong

• 🔥 In strong form: 7–4 on clay in 2025, coming off a Challenger semifinal in Girona with wins over Cilic, Misolic, and Olivieri.
• 🧱 Built for clay: Movement, consistency, and tactical IQ make him a tough out on dirt.
• 🚀 On the rise: Recently broke into the ATP top 100 and building serious momentum.
• 🇲🇦 Marrakech debut: Should feel at home on this surface despite being a first-time participant here.

🔍 Match Breakdown

This matchup heavily favors Jesper de Jong in nearly every category: form, ranking, clay pedigree, and confidence. His current level is high, and his game is clay-centric—perfect for the conditions in Marrakech.

Benchetrit may draw some energy from the home crowd, but his lack of recent high-level match play will likely be exposed against an in-form opponent who thrives in long rallies and pressure situations.

Even though Benchetrit owns a past win in their head-to-head, that was a Futures-level result from 2022 that doesn’t reflect their current levels.

🔮 Prediction

Pick: De Jong in straight sets

Expect a brief early push from Benchetrit, but once the rallies get longer and rhythm takes over, De Jong’s form and consistency should seal the win without much drama.