While Mensik beat Draper in two tiebreakers in the second round, his other two wins have come over unseeded opponents, and he received a walkover from his countryman Tomas Machac in the round of 16.
Walkovers can be dangerous at the Slams, where they give you a four day break and potentially throw off your rhythm. But in the tighter schedule of a Masters 1000, they can help. While Mensik had a day off, Fils was surviving his second grueling match in as many days. Now he’ll have to go out there again less than 24 hours later.
Fils has momentum, he leads the head-to-head, and he may be the better all-around player. But Mensik will be fresher, and his blistering serve will be the most important weapon on the court. In this case, I’ll take rested over tested. Winner: Mensik—Steve Tignor
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