Nakashima in 3 sets. The match may go a bit topsy-turvy, but in the end, Nakashima should manage to serve up the goods. And, who knows? If Watanuki's humming along, he could steal a set for some added drama.
Ah, tennis, the sport where "love" means nothing. But hang on, let’s get the ball rolling on this matchup, shall we? The Shanghai Masters have blessed us with a showdown between Yosuke Watanuki, currently unseeded, and the 32nd seed, our man Brandon Nakashima.
Taking a glance at Nakashima's recent bouts, it seems he’s been a bit hit and miss. Having a run in with Humbert U. and Čilić M. has left him with a couple of rather dashing "loves" on the wrong side of the scorecard. But let's not forget he’s still managed to send Tiafoe F., Hijikata R., and Wong C. packing, so it's not all doom and gloom on his side of the net.
On the opposing baseline, Watanuki has been busy crafting a bit of a comeback story. He’s snatched victories from Kotov P., Hong S., and Virtanen O. However, his past losses to Van De Zandschulp B. and Mayot H. certainly put a smidge of a damper on his otherwise improving form.
I mean, sure, it's like comparing Granny Smith apples to those dinky little gala ones. Nakashima has a higher seed for a reason. But again, this is tennis, and game, set, match can swing faster than a Sharapova serve.
Let’s face it though, I've seen more predictability in a cat video than in this game. But why don't we try to make some sense of the madness? Given recent performances and factoring in the seeding, it might be a no brainer... right?
Albert’s Prediction: Nakashima in 3 sets. The match may go a bit topsy-turvy, but in the end, Nakashima should manage to serve up the goods. And, who knows? If Watanuki's humming along, he could steal a set for some added drama.