The wetters..

Here are two players who are still searching for confidence. A German missed the chance to do better in a local tournament. We can take the positive view by saying he’s finding a certain level of play again, but it’s hard for him to stay consistent in his matches. You can feel he’s struggling to maintain his level and to be an effective attacker over the long term. On the Argentinian side, he’s lost a bit of his former shine. There are moments in the season, especially on clay, when he is a very tough and crafty player, but his transition towards a more powerful and aggressive forehand and serve is not without consequences. As soon as he loses his footing a little, he finds himself caught in between styles and it’s quite difficult for him to play the important points with authority. We saw him lose to Valentin Vacherot in Monte Carlo while he was ahead, and to Nakashima in Barcelona when he had a chance to turn the match around. It’s a tricky match today between two players who are looking for confidence in their game. While I like the altitude conditions for the German, I also consider them good for the Argentinian. The Argentinian is defending a third round here after coming through qualifying last season and beating Félix Auger-Aliassime in 2–7.