Haerteis J. - Safranek V.

Challenger Olbia Italy.

I actually thought that Butvilas would be unmotivated and would fall in the first round after his failure in Greece. Especially against such a strong player as he is facing. However, he easily won the first round and demonstrated solid gameplay. His serving was successful, he collected points at the net and from the baseline. His movement was good and he managed to get everywhere, and his backhand was working even better than usual.

If he plays today like he did in the first round, I don't think he will have any problems.

The opponent has some differences that I think are crucial for this match. Even though the French player is ranked higher, most of his points are from Futures tournaments and he chose to play there for most of the season because he couldn't establish himself in Challenger tournaments. Of course, he may be in better form, but his results at Challenger level are not as stable.

1. Comparing both players not based on their rankings, but on the matches they have played, I see Butvilas as a higher-ranked player, with more experience and a more successful run at a higher level.

2. In terms of physical strength, I would lean towards Butvilas, as he played a match and had some rest, while the opponent is playing his second tournament in a row and after a physically demanding run in Peru, which can be more challenging psychologically.