This is one spicy meatball of a match we have in store here, my friends. I mean, just think about it: Lorenzo Musetti, the 15th seed prodigy going head to head with the gritty, unseeded underdog, David Goffin. In theory, this sounds like a blockbuster in the making. But the records, oh the records, they tell a story of their own.
Goffin has had a see-saw run of late - love-lost with Duckworth and bouncing back after a tough straight sets loss to Machač. He’s been able to sing a victorious song against Mannarino and Tabilo without losing a set. On the flip side, the Italian stallion, Musetti, lost his serve to Yunchaokete and Shang, but fought back to win some thrilling matches against Bergs, Kachmazov, and, notably, Mannarino, whom - oh the coincidence - Goffin also managed to best.
Now, I've been wrong before - just ask my ex-wife - but if we lean on those wise-guy bookies who calculate odds and probabilities for a living, you'd be inclined to push your chips towards young Lorenzo. But, and there's a big but here, let's not forget this isn't Goffin's first rodeo. Growing a bit long in the tooth, sure, but he can be a bag of tricks when he hits his stride.
Now, we arrive at that big moment: my prediction. Is it going to follow the pattern of the Titanic’s first journey or can we expect something more in line with a fairy-tale ending? Drumroll please...
Albert’s Prediction: Musetti in 3 sets