Monday's Bastad round of 32 pits Jesper De Jong against Vilius Gaubas on clay. Jesper De Jong limps in on a 2-match losing skid, just 6 wins in 10. Vilius Gaubas comes in at 2 wins from the last ten.
The two have never played — a first meeting always adds a layer of uncertainty the numbers can't fully capture.
The serve is where this match separates: Jong has been winning 72.5% of first-serve points to Gaubas's 64.6%, and on clay that gap compounds fast. Little separates them; Jong gets the nod on the finest of margins.