The gem is back.

The 19-year-old Spaniard showed a very promising side in his first match, managing to get past, not without difficulty, a Dutch player who had the weapons to turn the match in his favor and was executing his game plan brilliantly. With matches coming one after another and the pressure of playing for the first time in a big home tournament, the Spaniard did not let himself get overwhelmed despite losing the first set 6–2. His reaction is very positive, as many factors could have justified a defeat.

Physically, he seems to be holding up, but his build is not ideal for clay; he lacks a bit of explosiveness and his center of gravity is a bit high, which could be a factor.

On the Australian side, the form is almost the complete opposite. Long labeled as weak on clay, he has achieved decent results over the last two years, notably in Monte Carlo and at Roland Garros. His lack of confidence here against the Spanish prodigy is something to take into account, as is the current momentum in play, because the Australian, who likes to play aggressively, could be caught off guard. The challenge here is whether the Australian, as the match goes on, will be able to sustain a physical battle and withstand the many attacks from the Spaniard, which is crucial in this matchup.