No surprise

I don’t see many weapons for Misolic here, easy win for the Spaniard.

On paper as well as on the court, the matchup looks very one-sided. What immediately stands out is the difference in tempo and intensity. Davidovich Fokina imposes a high pace from the baseline, with heavy shots and court coverage that quickly smother opponents who are less physically equipped. Misolic, more of a clay-court specialist who likes having time to settle into rallies, is likely to find himself constantly under pressure, forced to play one more shot on every point, which is rarely sustainable over time against the Spaniard.

I found Davidovich excellent in Adelaide, only losing at the very end of a thriller against a very good Humbert. His attitude, level of play, and physical condition were all reassuring this week, and I expect him to keep it going in this first round, which is well within his reach.