The Start of Something Great?

He's done it... Safiullin managed to be on the right side for once in a tightly contested match!

When Safiullin lost the fourth set against Monfils, it felt like the inevitable was about to happen again... Safiullin is losing another close match. Safiullin was not only facing a fired-up Monfils in the fifth set, but also a frenzied crowd. However, he managed to pull out some of the high-level tennis he had shown years ago, which had been missing lately. He even managed to serve out the match without hiccups! Monfils was not at his best for this match, but this win and Safiullin's improved level could be the starting block for a better end of the season, especially with the Asian Outdoor Hardcourt Swing as well as the Indoor European Swing coming up (both conditions are great for him, so keep an eye out). Struggling is the word that could best describe Felix's experience in GS lately. He faced an inspired Lucky Loser in Billy Harris in the first round, and despite winning in straight sets, it was not the most convincing performance. There were the usual flaws, including big dips in level, poor returns, and backhand leaking errors. And the matchup was a good one for Felix, since Harris is an Attacking Baseliner, which is the best matchup for Felix... worrying?

Well, he gets another chance to put in a better performance against a similar profile - Safiullin is also an Attacking Baseliner! So, why does Felix like to face this kind of player? Well, they tend to like to stay at the baseline and hit hard, and that's what Felix prefers also, and he also has a big serve that tends to give him an advantage! Despite this, Harris was able to rush Felix quite much, so it's not impossible... especially considering Safiullin has a higher ceiling than Billy! While the matchup might be good for Felix, I don't think it's too bad for Safiullin either... I prefer this kind of hitting contest for him instead of facing a counter-puncher or someone who plays with a lot of variety - those players are harder for him! With Safiullin potentially on the rise against a Felix yet to find his best level, could there be a spot to still "buy-low" on Safiullin?