Unplayable?

The Chinese player is on fire in this tournament, and I’d even say he’s always on fire when his body leaves him alone; it’s anything but a surprise.

Two qualifying rounds followed by victories over Ruud and Shimabukuro, Wu is on fire! Not a single set lost, 4 tiebreaks won out of 4, he's even playing with real skill, the rascal. Still possessing an incredible arm and enormous power, the slow conditions give him the time to hit hard; he doesn't need speed to make a difference. He's a Chinese player in great form this week and will be tough to beat, even if his match against Shimabukuro wasn't quite as decisive.

Facing him is Cobolli. The Italian got his head back on track last week after a disastrous start to the year, and he's confirming it this week. His game isn't perfect yet, but his motivation is definitely there, which is the most important thing for him. He says he feels at home, that he loves this tournament—in short, everything we want to hear from the Italian. I was quite harsh on him at the start of the tournament because he doesn't offer many guarantees, but Elie sensed he was very good in the early rounds, and despite the fact that they were "weak" opponents on paper, they had to be beaten; they were traps. So we have a Cobolli who's finding his form again and who, in my opinion, is at his peak, well-equipped to counter and withstand Wu's one-sided game.

I see this match a bit like last week's Cobolli/Wong match; the Italian was considered an outsider because everyone felt Wong was on fire, but in the end Cobolli more than lived up to expectations. I have a feeling it's going to be the same here!