Anna 
Roberto Carballes Baena began his Grand Prix Hassan II campaign with a determined victory on Monday in Marrakech. The fifth-seeded Spaniard, last year’s finalist and 2023 champion, defeated home wild card Taha Baadi 7-6(3), 6-3 to secure a spot in the second round of the ATP 250 clay-court event.
Carballes Baena faced early challenges, missing his first seven break points before converting his eighth to break Baadi’s serve in the opening game. Despite this, he remained steady throughout the two-hour, one-minute match, delivering a solid performance to claim the win.
“I am very happy to be back here in Marrakech. I love this place,” Carballes Baena said in his on-court interview. “It was a very tough match. I didn’t know him very well, but he played very good. It was a very difficult match and I’m very happy with the win.”
Baadi, making his ATP Tour debut, had strong support from the home crowd and briefly led after breaking for a 3-2 advantage in the second set. However, Carballes Baena responded decisively, winning four straight games to close out the match. The Spaniard dominated behind his first serve, winning 73% (35/48) of points, according to Infosys ATP Stats.
Ranked No. 51 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Carballes Baena will next face top seed Tallon Griekspoor. The 32-year-old is the only former champion in this year’s draw, boasting an impressive 15-4 career record in Marrakech.
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