American tennis player Brandon Nakashima is flying under the radar despite having the best summer of his career. The 23-year-old San Diego native is set to face World No. 4 German Alexander Zverev in the US Open Round of 16. Nakashima is having a whirlwind month. If he wins against Zverev, that would be the fifth Top 20 player he defeated since August 8.
Brandon Nakashima's Red-Hot August
Nakashima did not participate in the Paris Olympics. He played in the US hardcourt series. Brandon Naskashima's wins have been against the Olympians. It started in Canada when he took out World No. 14 and American compatriot Tommy Paul. One week later, he defeated World No. 12 Taylor Fritz in Cincinnati. His winning spree extends past fellow Americans. At the US Open, he defeated World No. 15 Holger Rune and World No. 18 Lorenzo Musetti.
Nakashima's Wins Have Been Decisive
Brandon Nakashima defeated Holger Rune in straight sets at the US Open. It took four sets to defeat Musetti. He was in trouble in the fourth set, falling behind 0-4. He is taking charge of the matches and playing from an offensive position. Nakashima starts matches well. He may find difficulty in the middle, but he problem-solves his way to finishing strong.
Brandon Nakashima Is Just Getting Started
Brandon Nakashima briefly played college tennis at the University of Virginia before turning professional. He is ranked 50th in the world. In 2022, he was ranked 43rd. His level of play and game are more consistent now.
Nakashima vs. Zverev
Despite the ranking difference, Nakashima should be considered a viable candidate to upset Alexander Zverev in the Round of 16. He has more momentum. Brandon Nakashima also had a more favorable schedule. Zverev played a late-night match on Friday, August 30. That schedule is difficult to recover from before the next round. Zverev had to come from one set down to win the following three sets to beat Tomas Etcheverry. The second set was highly contested, with a score of 7-5.
Second US Open meeting for Brandon Nakashima and Alexander Zverev
This matchup between Nakashima and Zverev happened another time, at the COVID-19 2020 US Open in the second round. Zverev won in four sets, the first two sets were highly contested before he ran away with it. The final score was 7-5, 6-7 (8), 6-3, 6-1. The 2020 US Open was an empty stadium tournament with no fans. Nakashima did not have American fans cheering him on. It was also very early in his professional career, having turned pro in the summer of 2019.
Nakashima Could Have Quarterfinal Rematch with American Rival
If Nakashima defeats Zverev, he will face the winner of the Casper Ruud and Taylor Fritz Round of 16 match. Taylor Fritz is playing much better than when Nakashima faced him in Cincinnati shortly after the Paris Olympics. Nakashima has not been in the mainstream discussion to be a contender, but he is. Francis Tiafoe, Taylor Fritz, and Tommy Paul are the other Americans still in the draw.
Can an American Win?
At every US Open, tennis fans are reminded how long it has been since an American man has won this Grand Slam. It is 21 years since Andy Roddick won it. It is time for the next generation of American tennis players to stake a claim on their home slam. Fritz is the highest ranked, but this summer and the US Open have proven that it is anyone's tournament to win.
With the two previous champions, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, out of the tournament and no one named Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal to contend with, this could be the best opportunity for an American man to hoist the trophy.
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