Another Battle Incoming?

This is the third match between them this year...

And Muller has won both of them in three sets, in Toronto and in Hong Kong. Neither player is coming into this tournament in the best of form. Muller seemed to be having some physical issues in China, and Kecmanovic... well, he is just being the same old Kecmanovic that he has been for a while now. Seriously, almost all of his matches are the same... he puts up a good fight and holds his serve quite well, and then in the key moments, he tends to fold first 90% of the time. Similar to players such as Griekspoor and Botic, he is a talented ballstriker who I personally think would benefit from some more energy and self-motivation 😂 I did the preview for him against Mensik and Beijing and was hoping for some kind of spark in that match, but that was completely ruined when I saw him not even trying to chase some of the balls (he probably would not have made them, but the lack of effort was not good). For Muller, it's the opposite... he is someone who might not have the biggest weapons, but he is solid and he fights very hard... and quite honestly, I would say that is a big part of the reason why he has managed to win both their matches this year.

As for the matchup, it's not a bad one for either player. Both players get to avoid the Big Server / Attacking Baseliner profile that they both struggle with, getting rushed and overpowered. As I mentioned, Kecmanovic has slightly more firepower, but Muller is more solid and consistent. Playing on an indoor hardcourt instead of outdoors, like in their previous meetings, should benefit Miomir slightly. On paper, this is a great opportunity for Kecmanovic to get a win over Muller... with potential question marks over Muller's physicality. In reality, will he be able to control his aggression, stay mentally strong, and capitalize on this...?