Svajda too low?

The American is in good form, but he’s playing Kova, whom he’s never beaten, and now he’s already the big favorite...

So, first of all, it’s true that Zachary Svajda’s average level has genuinely improved since the start of the season. He’s just broken into the top 100 for the first time in his career (98th in the live rankings). His results are consistent, his progression slow but steady. Last week, he should have pushed Foki to 3 sets. This week, he got through qualifying without trouble. I couldn’t watch his match against Wu, but still, quite a few break points to save, despite 11 aces for his size. I saw him against Boyer and Foki, and I still feel like he alternates between good and not-so-good. Game-wise, he’s more aggressive than people think, and the conditions here suit him very well (slow with wind), whereas I imagine Kovacevic being a bit less comfortable with his slightly flat one-handed backhand. I prefer him indoors so he can impose his rhythm with his forehand. Finally, I don’t think we should read too much into their previous meetings because they were too circumstantial. To sum up, I get why Zachary is the favorite, but 1.58…