Will Rublev Keep Cruising?

Or will the Portuguese qualifier challenge him more than expected?

Arnaldi has given Rublev some trouble in the past, but not this time. Arnaldi was inconsistent in his own serve games, with a rather low first serve percentage and simply too many errors. It feels like Rublev is starting to build some form, but let's not judge too much just yet. It's quite clear that this version of Arnaldi is not the one we saw a bit over a year ago. As for Faria, he got quite lucky with his opponents (Mikrut/Hassan/Trungelliti) in qualifying, but he managed it nicely. His luck continued into the first round, drawing the "injured LL" Blockx! He was able to dispatch of him without too much resistance (Blockx was not at his best). Faria can hold his own decently with a solid serve and forehand, and he is playing with absolutely nothing to lose here. Additionally, he has played a huge match here already last year - against Djokovic! That is something that should help him not feel all too nervous. Rublev's pace and power can be overwhelming, but he also has a very straightforward game that tends to have its dips as well. Can Faria take advantage of this opportunity to at least put up a good fight - or will his luck quickly run out at the hands of a stronger opponent? Let's have a look at the odds to make our decision ;)