Surprising!

I didn't see Vukic's win coming today—he's not actually going to go and beat Berrettini tomorrow, is he?

Nothing to add—great match from Vukic, who hung tough and was more clinical when it mattered! He’s a player I really like; he’s often hard to beat, rarely has off days, and he’s a safe bet at his level. Impeccable serve, big forehand, an annoying flat backhand—it’s not crazy flashy but it gets the job done! I’ve basically just described Berrettini; the Italian is in the same mold with a bit more punch on the forehand, a sliced backhand, and nerves of steel. His level has dipped over the seasons and injuries, but he still has what it takes to perform at a high level (without going too high, in my opinion). He had an excellent first round and, as I said, he was smart with his tournament choice—he wasn’t afraid to skip Paris because he felt it wasn’t good for him to chain events; for now he’s been proven right, with great intent in his opener and he looks hungry. I see him as a big outsider this week even though his section of the draw is brutal. Anyway, tomorrow he has another chance to get the win against a player he’s beaten twice, though not dominantly—which makes sense given their profiles, I’d say. I still trust Berrettini more in the serve-forehand pattern, and above all he has the physical edge since he got a day off after a short R1, while Vukic played almost 3 hours today against Moutet with quite a bit of nerviness. I also see the Italian better able to navigate TBs and the hot moments.