Brunstrom J./Marx P. - Elgin M./Istomin D.

In the beginning, I was thinking about tense matches, and Peru's final matches only strengthened my belief. In the first stage in Dubai, Draper defeated Halys with a score of 7:6, 6:3. According to the numbers, it seems secure, but the first set was very close: lots of extended games, a battle for ball reception, a tie-break. He serves well, gets aces, maintains a high percentage of points won on his first serve, but there is no feeling that he is in a state to finish the matches quickly and without tension. It is noticeable that his concentration falls in certain areas, especially after long rallies. Rinderknechas defeated Marožana in three sets. This is also an important moment. He not only serves and waits for mistakes - he maintains distance, hangs onto each game and physically looks good. When his first serve percentage reaches 60-65%, he becomes a very unpleasant opponent. He doesn't give away his games easily and forces his opponents to play extra balls. In my mind, the picture is clear: Draper is objectively a higher-class player, but Rinderknechas is stable enough to not 'crumble' in the game. If both of their serves work, the match could easily end 6:4, 7:5 or in a tie-break. And in that scenario, Ghana will comfortably collect the games. I do not expect a one-sided story. I see a hard-working, tense match, where the favorite will take the win, but not without a fight and a few bumps in the road.