The match after

It's not the achievement of a lifetime for Faria to have beaten Shelton, but when you listen to his post-match interview, for him, it kind of sounds like it is. So we have to treat this match as special, then.

Sure, it’s a win over a top 10 player who just won a Masters 1000 and was playing at home on top of that, but we’re not talking about beating Alcaraz, Sinner or a Djokovic, for example. And I’m quite surprised by Faria’s comments, he really seems to be putting this victory on a pedestal. That’s what worries me a bit, because you have to manage what comes after the upset. That’s not easy either.

In any case, there’s nothing to criticize about his level of play, he was outstanding. He still hasn’t lost a single set since the qualifiers. We say it every week, but he has no business playing qualifiers and he’s proving it again. He’s a complete player, he serves really well with just a small caveat on his second serve, which is too often risky but can pay off, as it did against Shelton. He returns well, he doesn’t take a lot of aces and puts on a lot of pressure. He has a very flat backhand and a forehand that can do a bit of everything. He’s not afraid to come to the net either. He’s got a big temperament. In short, he’s a player who, when confident, can be a nightmare to face, and that’s the case right now. He’s on a four-match winning streak. His upset against Shelton will also give him confidence and make him believe even more in his current level of play. As you’ve gathered, I only have positive things to say about the Portuguese player, whom I rate very highly.

As for Walton, I also found him very good against Buse, but the opposition was nowhere near the same. He was much cleaner than the Peruvian, who’s going through a rough patch at the moment and seemed nervous, which is quite rare for him in general. He’s usually a calm player. Walton played his match, he sensed he was stronger from the baseline than his opponent and didn’t make errors. He was also very clutch on many points, hitting the lines and coming up with incredible shots that frustrated his opponent. I really liked his performance, but it’s not at all the same style of game he’s about to face, nor the same level.

This will be their first meeting, and I expected to see Faria priced much lower after his win over Shelton, which could have given him a lot of credit. He came through the qualifiers and has maintained quite a high level of play since the start of the year, unlike Walton, who has big highs and big lows and lacks a bit of consistency. Walton’s early rounds were good, but not at Faria’s level in my opinion.