Echargui enters this match after an inconsistent hard-court season in which he won only three out of eleven matches; however, he seems to have found better form on clay, as demonstrated by his victory over Kovacevic yesterday. Kjaer, meanwhile, performed well on hard courts, particularly in Challenger tournaments where he reached the final in Thionville; he has struggled more on clay, but he defeated Maestrelli in straight sets yesterday.​The Tunisian is a player who adapts quite well to the Madrid surface; he controls the rallies without over-hitting, and his first serve—when landing—is powerful (55% first serves in, but 8 aces yesterday). Conversely, the Dane prefers faster surfaces like hard courts; nevertheless, his first serve provides him with free points even on clay. I foresee a much more closely contested match than the odds suggest; both serves could dominate in at least one set, potentially pushing it to a tie-break.