The real tournament begins

Ruud and Rune handed an easy win to our two pals. Now here they are in a real showdown.

First, I’d like to insist on Kyrian’s form in Hangzhou. I find he finished a bit tired against Rublo. But his easy first match here will allow him to get back into it properly.

On Luciano’s side, this was his return since the US Open. And I have to say he’s not in the same dynamic. He’s picking up a few wins here and there, but on rather favorable draws. He still takes a beating against Nakashima, Hijikata, VDZ and Zverev, and he’s dragging his feet a bit at times with some discomfort, we’re not even really sure where anymore.

The big factor for the Italian here in this match-up is the day’s weather. Humid, cold, rainy. The Frenchman’s aggressiveness will be a bit less effective with the ball moving through the air a bit less well. I like it when Darderi can hit like a brute and it still stays in. These are his conditions. But on hard court, it’s still pretty fast. And even in the win against Ruud, I saw a few inaccuracies. On the other hand, the conditions also have a negative side for him: his topspin won’t bite much, and Kyrian will be able to attack well. The Frenchman also comes to the net and covers a lot of ground. My concern is that he’ll tire himself out in this humidity, but if you can watch live, I think you’ll have time to react.