The VDZ special?

Is the slayer of top seeds going to pull the same trick on us again?

This Dutchman is quite a character. Let me remind you of a few facts...

2025: he beats Djoko in 3 sets at Indian Wells (Kyrgios just before)

2024: he beats Alcaraz at the US Open // Nadal in the Davis Cup

2023: he shuts down Marterer in two sets in Pune (lol)

And there are also a few top 10 wins in there that I’m skipping. Anyway, this guy is both capable of losing a match with shameful double faults, and also of beating the best players in their own backyard. Illogical? Not really, in my opinion. Often the most demanding are the softest, the toughest are the most sensitive, etc... So, taking out Djoko on Rod Laver in 35°C heat, does that ring a bell? Hard to believe, isn’t it... Especially since I really liked VDZ’s level and attitude in set 1 against Shang (even though it was windy, which he doesn’t like), as well as his level against Nakashima in his R1. Great quality of serve, composure, and nerves of steel. Because yeah, Martinez and Maestrelli are nice and all, but still ;). What happened at Indian Wells? Well, first of all, when it’s not a Grand Slam, it’s a different story now for Djoko. So does it matter? No, it doesn’t. And VDZ knows it: "I played a good match at IW, but here, it’s completely different. The guy has won here 10 times. I have to start from scratch."

In terms of the match-up, I think that, like against Maestrelli, Djoko is mostly going to let VDZ come at him and outmaneuver him tactically. The Serb didn’t play his best tennis against Maestrelli, but again, we don’t care. We’re in a Grand Slam, now he’s going to be as serious as it gets. I’m just saying that VDZ has the weapons and the mental conditioning to drag him into a very tricky end of set...