Two surprising players

Hanfmann always gives me the impression of being clumsy, heavy. And sometimes like he doesn’t really give a damn. But actually, the guy feels the ball so well. He owns his game 300%, and he’s a real pain in the ass for a lot of guys. He’s going to harass Luca, push him back, mix it up with some very nice drop shots, even a lot of drop shots, and hand out a few free points in money time. Not much suspense here.

On the French side, he’s going to have to be solid. He’s mobile and likes to find himself in a counter-punching position, ready for anything. He won two Challenger titles on indoor hard at the start of the year. And I’m thinking that, given his current form, he should be a pain for Yannick. Except he’ll need a good Luca, and that, I’m not so sure about. He has to serve well to start with, otherwise he’ll spend his time scrambling to hold serve. And maybe a bit paradoxically, he needs to be aggressive. That’s when he’s at his best. And against Yannick, it’s not easy to really express your game. You have to withstand the pressure and jump into the gaps. Is he capable of that?