Ah, the old European Open, where dreams come true and, just as quickly, dreams get crushed like grapes under the frantic feet of a vintner in a harvest rush. Now let's talk about the clash between Zizou Bergs and Sebastian Baez.
Baez, charming lad, coming to the party with a 4th seed position. Not too shabby. His recent record though leaves a bit to be desired. Baez has been stumbling around on the court like a newborn gazelle with Monfils, Griekspoor, Coric, and Thompson all handing him the short end of the stick. Baez did manage to corner Darderi with a 3 to 1 set victory, but one swallow does not a summer make.
Next up on the commentary chopping block is Zizou Bergs. Unseeded Bergs shows a spunkier kick to his game, tallying more wins than losses in recent times. Dimitrov and Musetti managed to clip his wings, but the young spark tackled the likes of Diaz Acosta, Zhang and Moutet with victorious gusto.
Now, nothing makes me happier than an underdog barking up the right tree, and looking at this data tableau unfolding before us, it seems very much like Zizou Bergs could bring the heat. My crystal ball may need polishing, but odds are, moderately speaking, in Bergs' favor.
Albert’s Prediction: Bergs in 3 sets.