 Stefano Sidzebast versus yarn-ladded Strouf is a fourth quarter final for the Madrid Open for the men for 2023. And both guys have had different rows to get to this stage. Strouf started the tournament off as a lucky loser and would come in for the injured Lesdian and take on Senegal in the first round. This is no problem for Strouf getting through in straight sets 6-3, 6-1. In the second round he'd take on Shelton the 32nd seed and he'd have to fight back from a set down. Getting through in 3, 4-6, 7-6, 7-5. In the third round he'd take on Lyovic who was coming off three top 10 wins in the last couple of weeks. And again, after dropping the first set he would have to fight back to win 6-7, 6-3, 6-3. In the fourth round he'd take on Cashion, another unseeded player who had just taken out Tiafo in the previous round. And this was a grind getting through in a long three set up 7-6, 6-7, 6-3 to advance to the quarter finals. Sidzebast started the tournament off as a number four seed and would get a buy in the first round. In the second round he'd take on Dominic Teem and this was a fight for Stef having to win in a tiebreaker in the third. 3-6, 6-1, 7-6. In the third round he'd take on the 25 seed Baez. And again Sidzebast was pushed to the brink getting through in 3-7, 5-3, 6-6, 6-3. In the fourth round he'd take on the local Hope Morales who had actually been pretty good on the clay so far this year. This was no problem for Stef getting through in straight sets 6-3, 6-1 to advance to the quarter finals. These two have played five times before with Sidzebast leading the head to head 3-2. But they haven't played in almost two and a half years and it's only been their second match on clay. However Strouf won their only clay court match back in Barcelona in 2019 and their last four matches have all gone three sets. If Strouf's going to win this one he needs to make sure he serves big and is aggressive. We know that Madrid is a faster court than a Monte Carlo or a Rome so we might be able to get a lot of free points with that serve. And if he does get to those tie breaks he's going to make sure he takes those tie breaks like he has been all week. If Sidzebast is going to win this one he needs to be patient and he needs to know that Strouf is going to be hitting big shots. Strouf has actually been in some really good form. He played really well in Monte Carlo and he seems to be loving the big stage. But Stef's going to have to get off to a good start and serve well as well. This is going to be a really fun match up and it's great to see Strouf again in the big tournaments coming into a big quarter-final. But I think Sidzebast is going to win this one in three sets. I reckon we probably get a tie break or two as well. I'm going to have a step in this one to get to the semis but comment down in the comments below. Who do you think is going to win this one?