Analysis for F.Lopez-A.Martin (ATP Barcelona)

Head-to-head record 0:2

What a spicy match-up between two Spaniards with completely different style of play it is. Like many of the top Spanish players Lopez is left-handed, however unlike some of his compatriots he uses a single-handed backhand. He is known for his strong serve and ability to play balls repetitively on the baseline. He is also a confident net player and has been known to adopt the serve-and-volley routine of play during matches. Simply said, he is untypical Spaniard with the style of play suited to faster surfaces than clay. He made his best results on hard courts and in 2005 became the first male Spanish tennis player to reach the quarter-final of Wimbledon since 1972. His experienced compatriot is a pure clay court player. Alberto Martin is a defensive baseliner who likes the long rallies from the baseline. He is a fighter with a willingness to chase down every ball to frustrate opponents. Usually, he frustrates his opponents so much that the opponent might actually try to change his game by either coming to the net in which case he can just execute passing shots down the lines, or by attempting to also be a defensive counterpuncher as well. Martin excels on slow courts which give him extra time to chase down shots and it is harder for opponents to create winners. He is coming off some solid form playing two finals at challengers in a row. Furthermore, he is 2:0 up in their head-to-head record and we think it will be 50:50. Odds above 2.2 are worth taking here.