Mixed feelings...

Our two protagonists have just beaten some weird guys (probably sick), playing on a medium difficulty level. We’ll have to be strong to find some good info!

Between Foki's significant drop in form at the end of the second set against a clearly hampered Mensik, and Tien's lackluster performance against a somewhat subdued Shelton, I'm torn. I should also mention that Foki was down 5-0 in the first set against Svajda, and that Tien had a hard-fought victory over Walton in their first-round match. Add to that Foki's 6-2, 6-2 win against Tien at Washington 2025 in their only official encounter (in which Foki was simply much better from the baseline), and it's all very confusing. If I stick to the facts: I've found Foki a bit odd for the past two or three weeks; Tien is struggling but ultimately managing to pull through against two dangerous players; Tien is practically playing at home, with his family in the stands, so there's a bit of pressure, but last time, his mother's presence gave him a real boost. If I were to follow my instinct, I'd disbelieve their last encounter and consider Tien slightly better overall, because in these slow conditions, he'll force Foki to be extremely good and disciplined in constructing his points. And the current Foki is prone to mood swings. As for the rest, I'm a little afraid I might be wrong about the matchup...