Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Madrid Masters match.
Daniil Medvedev has not been at his best this season, but he comes into this match against an opponent who has also struggled for consistency of late. Moreover, Brandon Nakashima has never been viewed as a particularly natural talent.
Daniil Medvedev
At the Madrid Masters, Daniil Medvedev has benefited from a relatively kind draw. In the second round, Laslo Djere withdrew before their match, and in the following round, he faced qualifier Juan Manuel Cerundolo, younger brother of Francisco Cerundolo. Medvedev made quick work of the world No. 126, wrapping up a 6:2, 6:2 win in under an hour. The win was built on superb serving: he won 76% of points on his first serve and 69% on his second, while also dominating at the net, winning 13 of 15 points.
Brandon Nakashima
That said, the 31st seed Brandon Nakashima represents a step up in quality, and Daniil Medvedev will need to remain sharp. In their only previous meeting, Daniil Medvedev came out on top largely due to his superior serving — winning 73% of points on his first serve and 70% on his second. Nakashima, by contrast, had major issues on his second serve, winning just 29% of those points. So far in Madrid, Nakashima’s second serve has held up relatively well. In the last round, he beat Flavio Cobolli 7:5, 6:3. Flavio Cobolli had previously caused an upset by knocking out eighth seed Holger Rune. Nakashima’s first serve was reliable, landing 71% with 74% of points won behind it. His second serve also performed decently, winning 58% of points.
Daniil Medvedev vs Brandon Nakashima Prediction
Daniil Medvedev will need to maintain focus. He has often found himself in drawn-out contests against lower-ranked players, particularly at the Monte Carlo Masters earlier this spring, where both his matches went the distance and featured more than 30 games. There’s a good chance this one goes beyond 22 games as well.
