The American is enjoying an impressive spell this season, having reached the final in Montreal and built up strong momentum on outdoor hard courts. Medvedev, meanwhile, is still searching for his best tennis, but began in Cincinnati with a win over Marco Trungelliti (6:4, 7:5) and has played fairly successfully against Nakashima.
Brandon Nakashima
The 25-year-old American is in excellent form: after reaching the semi-finals in Washington, he made the final of the Masters 1000 event in Montreal, then comfortably beat Aleksandar Kovacevic (6:2, 7:5) in the first round in Cincinnati. Nakashima is strong in his precise shot placement, excellent backhand and low error rate in prolonged rallies. However, against players with elite defence, he often lacks the attacking power to finish points with outright winners.
Daniil Medvedev
The 30-year-old Russian has not yet returned to peak form after the break. Daniil was eliminated early in Montreal, while in Cincinnati he beat Trungelliti (6:4, 7:5), though he made the fans nervous in the second set. Medvedev's strengths remain the same — deep returns, unpredictable flat changes of direction and phenomenal court coverage.
Brandon Nakashima vs Daniil Medvedev Prediction
The head-to-head record is entirely in the Russian's favour — Medvedev leads 3-0. The American's accumulated fatigue after a demanding two weeks will tell during the match. Class and the psychological advantage will be on Daniil's side.
