Always the same thing with the Czech!

Even if I find him less impressive on clay, the Czech is capable of playing very fast and covering the court very well thanks to his mobility, helped by his very short shorts! But his desire to take the ball early so often—a tactic which, in outdoor clay conditions, especially at altitude with a high bounce—really requires almost perfect timing, relaxation, and positioning. I think that’s why it takes him a bit of time to get into his matches and why, once he’s found his range and confidence, he then just rolls through.

Here against Norrie, it could be tricky facing the Briton’s left-handed game, as he knows how to loop his shots and put a lot of topspin on the ball. The Madrid conditions are potentially very good for the Brit. And the biggest risk we see with him at the moment is a physical one.

Here you have to choose between the Briton’s game, which wears you down and leads Tomas Machac to get a bit too impatient, not to say arrogant, and the Czech’s much-improved tennis, as seen in his match against a very good Comesaña in his first round here in Madrid.

A quick word on the past meetings between the two players. The Briton leads 2–0, with a match at Wimbledon that gives him a certain edge, and another last season in Geneva, a tournament during which the Brit was really in good form and even managed to take a set off Djokovic in the final. Here, it’s rather the Czech who looks in better form and inspires more confidence, even if that word has to be used very carefully with this player.