Mark Lajal #157Estonia00 – 2Felix Balshaw #248France2

Lajal, 23, is ranked 152 and has won 11 of his last 15 matches on hard courts, with a 73.3% win rate in that span.

Lajal's current streak includes wins over opponents ranked 149 and 96, showing he can handle higher-level competition. Balshaw's recent wins came against players ranked 138 and 161, but he needed three sets in two of them, suggesting he may be more vulnerable to fatigue. This matchup could hinge on whether Lajal's efficiency can overcome Balshaw's fighting spirit.

Lajal, the qualifier, has played two extra matches this week in Manacor.

He completed two qualifying matches before three main-draw wins, while Balshaw has played only three main-draw matches. That extra workload could affect Lajal's energy in the semi-final, though his straight-set wins suggest he has managed it well so far.

Lajal's first-serve percentage in his last 15 matches is 59.4%, and he wins 75% of points on his first serve.

Balshaw's first-serve percentage is lower at 55%, and he wins 70.6% of first-serve points. Lajal also averages 6.9 aces per match compared to Balshaw's 5.3. This serve edge could give Lajal more free points and put pressure on Balshaw's return game, which has been weaker at 39.2% return points won versus Lajal's 42.4%.

Balshaw's second-serve points won is 55.9% in his last 15 matches, compared to Lajal's 47.4%.

This suggests Balshaw is more reliable when his first serve misses, which could be crucial in a match where both players may face break points. However, Balshaw's double-fault rate is lower (3.5 per match vs Lajal's 5.0), so he may be able to sustain pressure in his service games.