The two opposites.

Mentally, they’re at two extremes, but Bublik makes up for it with his quality of tennis and an extraordinary talent.

Bublik is a talented player, capable of flashes of brilliance, but less able to fight when things aren’t going his way. This week, he seems very motivated and focused, which is reassuring and plays in his favor. He has the desire, his tennis seems to be following, and he’s now in the semifinals. I don’t really see a scenario where he could lose his temper and throw the match away, even though we know what he’s like. On days when he tries and things don’t turn in his favor, there’s always a moment when he ends up capitulating and completely giving away the match; I don’t know if that’ll be the case tomorrow, but it’s still a possible scenario. In any case, since the start of the tournament, he’s been very serious and is making perfect use of the conditions.

Speaking of seriousness, Etcheverry is a benchmark in that area. The Argentine is ten times less talented than Bublik, but he knows how to win even when he’s playing badly. He’s a formidable player who’s going through a pretty rough patch in terms of results, but that will come back quickly, and this week I find him quite sharp. I still want to see him pass a big test, because so far he hasn’t faced much opposition. It’ll also be a test for Bublik on the other side; they’ve already played twice and the Kazakh leads 2–0 with tight wins.

Bublik will have the advantage on serve, in short rallies, and in terms of sudden bursts of brilliance. He can also come to the net, use drop shots to break the rhythm, and just play his usual Bublik-style tennis. On a good day, and if his brain is fully switched on, I feel the match only depends on him. On the other side, Etcheverry doesn’t play with the same weapons; his are obviously his mental strength, his reliable physical condition, and his constant focus. It’s a real clash of styles we have in store for tomorrow.