Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Miami Masters match.
Both Roman Safiullin and Jakub Menšík came through demanding first-round challenges in Miami, setting up what looks to be one of the tighter matchups in the next round. The real question now is: who has the most energy remaining for the upcoming test?
Roman Safiullin
Safiullin had to grind out a three-set victory over 25th seed Alexei Popyrin, spending 2 hours and 34 minutes on court. He dropped the opening-set tie-break but responded well, finishing strong with a 6:3, 7:5 finish. Key to his win was his resilience on serve — just two break points faced across the match, and he saved one of them. He wasn’t overly clinical on return (4 of 12 converted), but it was enough.
Jakub Menšík
Menšík, meanwhile, delivered the shock of the round, eliminating 6th seed Jack Draper in straight sets. But it was no breeze — both sets required tie-breaks, and the match still lasted 1 hour 55 minutes. The Czech served 21 aces, won 86% of points behind his first serve, and didn’t face a break point until late. However, he’ll be aware that converting just 1 of 9 break chances nearly let Draper off the hook.
Roman Safiullin vs Jakub Menšík Prediction
The two have never played each other before, which adds another layer of unpredictability. On paper, they look evenly matched — both with big serves, solid baseline play, and recent momentum. Their previous matches were mentally and physically draining, and that could lead to an increase in unforced errors and longer games. Given the serving stats and current form, it’s entirely plausible this match goes long.
