Another server!

After Diallo, FAA has to face another excellent server, no problem!

A bit of a special match against a buddy of his today; FAA was a little stressed and it’s never easy to face someone you like. There was still a gap in level, and I think that even if Diallo had converted his set points, he’d have lost in the third. Felix didn’t play his best match, but he’s coming off a title and had to back it up while switching conditions—he did it seriously, and I’ll say it again: he’s aiming for the ATP Finals, so there’s really no time to rest, and that’s a good thing for him! Given his current level and this week’s conditions, he’s still among the favorites in my opinion; with his serve quality and his rediscovered solidity from the baseline, it takes top players to knock him out. Cilic used to be one of those guys—he’s beaten FAA three times—but that was a while ago, and Felix has won their last two meetings, which makes sense given their opposite trajectories with age. Cilic remains dangerous indoors with his serve and baseline power, but against Goffin I already found him borderline and not reactive at all on return. He ate a good bunch of aces from Goffin, and the Belgian didn’t even play well from the baseline either. Cilic can still win these matches on experience (and with a decent level, let’s not overstate it), but I just don’t see him good enough right now to take out FAA. I find the center court a bit slower than Court 1, and that’s not great for Cilic; personally, I have a lot of confidence in FAA right now.