Opportunistic, the PCB!

The Czech player is gaining momentum and seems to be on top in this duel

PCB validated his first round in Dubai with seriousness, but the context needs to be qualified. The Spaniard mainly benefited from an absolutely disastrous Denis Shapovalov, very inconsistent and clearly not having a good day, neither technically nor in terms of attitude. Carreno did what he had to do, without particularly shining, relying on his usual solidity, but without really being pushed to his limits.

On the other side, Lehecka had a more complicated start. The beginning of the match was a bit messy, with a lack of precision and some hesitation, the time it took him to adapt to the conditions. Once he found his bearings, the Czech clearly moved up a gear: more aggressive, cleaner in the rallies and very solid on serve, he then rolled through the match, imposing a rhythm that his opponent could not keep up with.

In this context, it’s quite easy to imagine Lehecka getting the upper hand today. The fast conditions in Dubai favour his early ball-taking and his ability to accelerate, whereas Carreno Busta may lack punch on the ball to really trouble him. While the Spaniard remains a serious and combative player, the gap in momentum and intensity seems too big for this match.