And how far can he go?

Quite far in terms of world ranking in the months and years to come. As for the Madrid tournament, the matches are getting tougher and tougher for the Belgian. Even though his last match was the easiest, against the world number 5. This shows how high the Belgian’s level of performance is, as he says he felt such a powerful strength in the rallies that even though his serve wasn’t optimal, he was pretty calm. It’s really a feeling that needs to be taken seriously, because honestly, on the other side of the net, it’s no ordinary opponent. And that’s scary.

The Belgian will play against the Argentinian Cerundolo, who also played an almost perfect match. He is still in the running to defend his semifinal from the last edition. I’d like to remind you that he made the quarterfinals the year before. I really like the conditions for the Argentinian, who of course plays with his forehand, which becomes even more impactful at altitude once it’s properly calibrated.

In terms of match-up, this match will hinge much more on baseline play. Clear advantage on the Argentinian’s side. The Argentinian, in terms of experience and average level of play, would normally be beaten. But if the Belgian maintains this quality of serving, we know that the Argentinian can go off the rails under pressure. Right now, though, he looks so strong from the back of the court; he’s just played a great match against the German in Munich, who is a benchmark in terms of serving quality. So I logically make him my favorite. But not at any price, because the Belgian threat is really big. How long can the Belgian hold up? That’s really the question I’m asking myself, because he’s stringing together quite a lot of matches. Maybe he’ll have a dip in Rome or at Roland Garros, but after 5 matches in Monte Carlo, then 2 in Munich. He’ll be playing his fourth here in Madrid, knowing he played yesterday, even if the match didn’t last long. I’m thinking of pricing the Argentinian around 1.50. And if he’s shorter than that, I’d rather suggest an over on games, or else live betting here on a match-up that’s not the one I’m most comfortable with.