Big opportunity for Gea.

Our Frenchman is a lucky loser and he’s just seized his chance in the first round. This second round isn’t easy, but he could have drawn someone much worse.

I loved Gea’s match against Cerundolo. I found him very good and able to adjust his game when necessary, because against an excellent defender but also a player who’s efficient in the offensive phase, you need to find the right mix. Gea managed to hold up and, above all, managed to take control of the match from a certain point on. It was also a physical battle and I thought he was strong in that area as well. I think those little cramp and tension issues are often due to stress rather than poor fitness. He has a huge advantage given that he’s already played qualifying matches, that he’s a lucky loser and that he’s playing against a local player with the pressure on the other side of the net. In other words, Gea comes in with a perfect role that can really suit him.

It’s less straightforward to manage for Svajda, who’s played great matches in Grand Slams this year, but often as an underdog with nothing to lose. I feel like he’s a player who loves to play his matches quietly in his own corner, without putting real pressure on himself. On the other hand, when there are a few more expectations or eyes on him, he can have considerable lapses during his matches. Naturally, his game is quite erratic. He can be very enjoyable to watch when he’s on the attack, but he has the annoying tendency to spray a bit too much. His first round against Altmaier was good quality. From his side, it was clean, with not much waste compared to usual, but we also have to say that Altmaier wasn’t in great form either, especially in the first two sets. Once Altmaier got into the match, I felt it was pretty even. I was close to thinking that Svajda could lose the thread of the encounter. I also have to say that Altmaier too often found himself in trouble in defensive situations, because of his one-handed backhand and Svajda’s ability to attack intelligently. I trust Gea a bit more in defense, especially since the Frenchman can make nice transitions to then take back the advantage.

I still have a good feeling about the Frenchman; I think he’s built for this kind of matchup. Svajda will have his moments of madness. He can run up big scorelines, but I also think he’ll have his fair share of weak patches.