They're back!

Two excellent American players who disappointed in January and are once again ready to battle it out! Let's dive into this match-up!

3–1 Fritz, but 1–1 on hard with an average of 27 games per match. We’d need to put their matches back into context because the level of both players can vary quite a bit depending on the time of the season. Stat-wise, I see it’s pretty similar on serve (aces, first-serve percentage, and effectiveness). The difference comes down to handling the important points. And between two servers of this quality, that was to be expected. The conditions also favor that, with the surface in Dallas. So this analysis is, I think, an estimate of each player’s ‘clutch’ side. And on that point, as I said in the match summary: both made a very good impression on me. Even more so Korda, but I think Nakashima was tougher to beat than yesterday’s Tiafoe. There’s a bit of a ‘Fritz just gets the job done’ feel for me, whereas Korda is in a real reaction mode. I hope I’m not being too guided by my own bias, but I feel like there’s value in backing the underdog. Not without its risks and dangers, because we know very well that Korda can fall back into his old habits as soon as there’s a bit more resistance. But if he comes in with the same mindset as against Tiafoe, I think we can at least grab an over or a handicap depending on the odds… What do you think?