Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Miami Masters match.
It looks like Brandon Nakashima has been handed a favourable matchup. Roberto Carballés Baena has made a habit of first-round eliminations lately, losing his opening match at five consecutive tournaments before finally breaking the streak in Miami — though even that required a gruelling battle.
Brandon Nakashima
As the 31st seed, Nakashima received a first-round bye. The American comes into this match in solid form, having won at least two matches in each of his last three tournaments. At Indian Wells, he reached the Round of 16, losing only to world No. 12 Ben Shelton in a tight first set followed by a routine second (6:7, 1:6). That run marked a positive shift after a slow start to the year, where three of his first four tournaments ended in opening-round defeats.
Roberto Carballés Baena
The Spaniard has struggled for consistency. Remarkably, he drew the same opponent — Christopher O’Connell — in the first round of both Indian Wells and Miami. He lost in three sets in California, then scraped through in Florida with a 6:3, 3:6, 7:6 win that lasted 2 hours 34 minutes. If he's barely edging past the world No. 75 in exhausting three-setters, it’s hard to imagine him matching up well against a rising American with a more dynamic hard-court game.
Brandon Nakashima vs Roberto Carballés Baena Prediction
These two players are clearly moving in opposite directions: Nakashima is regaining momentum and playing confidently on home soil, while Carballés Baena is struggling to find form. Given the surface, the location, and current trajectory, a straight-sets win for Nakashima looks like the most reasonable outcome.
