Is Djoko getting stomped?

I think hardly anyone still believes in the Serb’s chances here. We’re on a medium/fast outdoor hard court with reasonable heat and high humidity. I think he even said he has some kind of condition that makes him react weirdly when there’s too much humidity. Either way, I’m tempted to say it doesn’t matter. His statements are really not optimistic: “The most important thing for me now is the 2028 Olympic Games (...); Physically, I can recover, but mentally, it’s not the same.” Not to mention he abruptly stopped his practice here yesterday after just 3 games. Is he pulling another stunt only he knows the secret of?

Against a Navone ready to grind him down for 5 hours, what can we realistically hope for?

The Argentine isn’t in such good shape either. I find him passive and sluggish. Sure, he beats Berrett and Vacherot in Montreal, but not the best versions of them. In Winston-Salem, I was already saying he was in danger against Duckworth, and that worked out. We’ll probably get a night session, which will make Djoko even less sharp from the baseline. He’ll struggle to punch through Navone’s defense with pure power. But with craft, yes. Coming to the net intelligently. Mixing it up. Serving well. That he still knows how to do. On the other hand, it’s far from certain he can maintain a good level for three straight sets...