Danger, yes, but for whom?

Blockx comes in off a Challenger title, he's closing in on the top 100 and looks like the better of the two players, but we know Passaro!

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from Passaro’s tournaments in Rome, it’s that no matter his current form, fitness, or results, you have to take him day by day. He pops up at a few events during the season, plays monstrously well, then disappears again. Right now he’s coming out of qualifying and has just put up some big scorelines too, so watch out. Even if he hasn’t faced a top player, what matters most is how he played. I didn’t see his qualies so I don’t know how much weight to give them, but I’m not going to get caught out. He’s got a heck of a cannon of a forehand with a lot of weight on it, he’s mobile, and he can really make his game click when you don’t expect it. An interesting profile as an underdog because he can spring some nice surprises. Blockx is still my favorite in this match. The young Belgian is talented and he’s really taking the next step. He’s getting harder and harder to beat and can do a bit of everything on court; he can switch from grinder mode to aggressor mode easily. He’s also close to cracking the top 100 and has more indoor experience. His title run in Bratislava was excellent—especially for a late-season Challenger, it was really strong. He beat Struff, Harris, Virtanen, Collignon, then Droguet in the final; not some small, obscure Challenger. We’ll see how he follows it up, but he didn’t have any long matches, and indoor conditions don’t vary as much as outdoors. For that reason, I expect him to be sharp as soon as tomorrow, while still keeping an eye on Passaro.