Griekspoor makes clay breakthrough in Marrakech, faces Darderi in final

Tallon Griekspoor stands on the brink of completing the ATP Tour title surface set.

The top seed overcame qualifier Kamil Majchrzak 7-5, 7-6(3) on Saturday at the Grand Prix Hassan II in Marrakech to reach his maiden tour-level championship match on clay. Griekspoor rallied from 3-5 in the first set to take control of the semi-final clash. He saved the only three break points of the second set, according to Infosys ATP Stats, before completing his one-hour, 48-minute triumph in a tie-break.

With his victory, Griekspoor reached his fourth ATP Tour final. He has won two titles, both in 2023: one on hard courts in Pune and one on grass in ‘s-Hertogenbosch. He is the seventh Dutchman to reach tour-level finals on all three surfaces in the Open Era.

“I’m very happy with the win. Obviously, it’s aways nice to qualify for a final, it doesn’t happen every week,” said Griekspoor. “I’m happy with the performance today, it was a very tough match. I was a break down in the first set, saved a couple of break points deep in the second. I’m very pleased with the way I played and the win today.”

Big smile for a first ATP final on clay 😁@Griekii edges past Majchrzak 7-5 7-6(3)! 🫡#GrandPrixHassanII pic.twitter.com/8VKlj6MBbE

— ATP Tour (@atptour) April 5, 2025

Griekspoor, who is also bidding to become the first Dutch champion in Grand Prix Hassan II history (since 1984), will take on Luciano Darderi in Sunday’s title match. The seventh-seeded Italian earlier downed 2023 winner and 2024 finalist Roberto Carballes Baena 6-3, 6-2.

The 23-year-old Darderi has now won eight of his past nine matches, after he also reached the final at an ATP Challenger Tour event in Naples last week. With his run in Morocco so far, he has risen six spots to No. 51 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, and Darderi would rise to No. 48 if he can claim his second ATP Tour title (after 2024 Cordoba).

Griekspoor enters Sunday’s final with a 2-0 Lexus ATP Head2Head record against Darderi. The Dutchman prevailed twice against the Italian in 2024, both in straight sets, at Roland Garros and the Rolex Paris Masters respectively.