L56: Daniel Evans WR 26 (= CH) vs Taylor Fritz (USA) WR 30 (CH = 24 in March last year)
If he wins that one, he'll play Djoko (1) in the last 32...
Excellent - Fritz is eminently beatable on clay
?????
L56: Taylor Fritz (USA) WR 31 defeated Daniel Evans WR 26 by 3 & 2
I think Fritz is definitely beatable on clay, hardly a titan of the surface! But Dan clearly played a lot worse than him to lose like this, v disappointing
Fritz is historically not bad on clay. His ATP tour clay W/L record shown on the ATP site is 18/18 against his overall 108/109 so barely anything in it. And still overall a rather better ratio on clay than Dan although we have seen a new Dan in 2021.
If Rome, like Madrid, is for now not going to be a compulsory rankings counter for the men, Dan should still actually gain 10 points this week, as a non counter of 45 points replaces his previous compulsory 35 points from Rome 2019.
L32: (6) Jamie Murray & Bruno Soares (BRA) CR 31 (23+8) vs Marcelo Demoliner & Daniil Medvedev (BRA/RUS) CR 331 (52+279 [but a CH of 170 in August 2019])
L32: (ALT) Marcelo Arévalo & Matwé Middelkoop (ESA/NED) CR 96 (53+43) vs Daniel Evans & Neal Skupski CR 73 (54+19)
L32: Max Purcell & Luke Saville (AUS/AUS) CR 80 (45+35) vs (ALT) Liam Broady & Andy Murray CR 429 (315+114)