What a damn trap for a comeback.

Paul is coming back from injury and the poor guy has to deal with Mpetshi, not sure he'll get back into rhythm thanks to this match...

This is really my number one concern for Paul in this match: the fact that he’s coming in without any match rhythm after a break, while facing a guy who absolutely doesn’t want rallies to last. Mpetshi has his flaws, he’s ultra dependent on his serve and once the ball is in play it’s often disastrous; sometimes he overplays a bit and everything goes in, but overall what he produces is very poor. His 2025 season was a failure, but he actually started pretty well in Australia with a semifinal right here, for example! The speed of the courts and the fact that, with his playing style, he can catch a lot of players off guard who are slow to get going at the start of the season is an advantage. Paul, by the way, is used to starting slowly and then raising his level as the tournament goes on; he’s there for the taking in the early rounds. With that in mind and the fact that he’s coming back from injury, you can say that Mpetshi will have a shot. As for the rest, I’m torn; in itself Paul returns properly, he makes you play and moves well while staying aggressive when necessary, which is exactly what you want to make Mpetshi crack in the end. I don’t forget that the Frenchman can self-destruct and that in general I don’t feel like betting on him. Will his odds be high enough for me to take a shot?