Are you ready for the all-American clash in Vienna? Two in-form players, Tommy Paul and Brandon Nakashima, will face off in the R32 of the 2024 Vienna Open in just a few hours from now. Paul is entering this tournament after winning the title at the Stockholm Open. On the other hand, Nakashima faced an early exit from the Stockholm Open at the hands of Stan Wawrinka. Can the experienced American get the better of the young compatriot in the first round of the Vienna Open?

Tommy Paul vs Brandon Nakashima: Preview

Paul has already won three titles this season. The first came at the Dallas Open in February, where he defeated another compatriot, Marcos Giron, 7-6, 5-7, 6-3. The second came at the Queen’s Club Championship. However, his most impressive result in the final match of a tournament this season came in Stockholm, where he defeated Grigor Dimitrov, 6-4, 6-3. Now, it’ll be interesting to see if he can carry forward this winning momentum in his next match.

On the other hand, the 23-year-old tennis player from San Diego, California, started the season well by winning the Challenger Tenerife, ES tournament in January. However, after that, he made quite a few deep runs in his next tournaments, but Brandon Nakashima failed to deliver when it mattered most. He was defeated by Wawrinka in his previous match, 6-4, 6-4, at the Stockholm Open. Can he bounce back from that disappointing loss with a victory against the higher-ranked opponent?

Paul vs Nakashima: Head-to-Head

It’s Florida vs California! Tommy Paul has faced Brandon Nakashima four times in his career. However, interestingly, the youngster currently leads the H2H by a 3-1 margin.

• 2024 ATP Masters 1000 Canada R32: Nakashima 6-2,6(5)-7,6-1.
• 2023 Lyon QF: Nakashima 6-3,7-6(4).
• 2022 ‘s-Hertogenbosch R32: Nakashima 6(4)-7,7-6(5),7-6(2).
• 2019 Challenger Cary R16: Paul 7-6(0),6-4.

Prediction: Paul to win in three sets

We’ve already seen that their previous meetings have gone a little deeper on almost all four occasions. We’re expecting a similar fight from these two in this match as well. However, considering Paul’s incredible ability to grab his chances with both hands and looking at their current ranking, we’re keeping the Floridian ahead of the Californian. Tommy Paul is currently ranked 12th in the world with a win-loss record of 42-17. On the other hand, Brandon Nakashima is ranked 38th in the world with a win-loss record of 27-21.

Both these players have contrasting styles of play. For example, Tommy Paul is extremely good at the net and has a powerful volley in his armory, while Nakashima is more of a baseline player. His game is characterized by strong and flat strokes, while Tommy Paul loves to generate more topspin. Paul loves pushing his opponents deeper and deeper during his matches, and he also has a venomous serve in his bag. Apart from all this, Tommy Paul also possesses a strong attacking forehand and solid footwork along the baseline.

Nakashima possesses a well-balanced game and also has excellent court coverage with a strong double-handed backhand. Talking about his serve, it’s a perfect blend of power and precision. And guess what? Brandon Nakashima has hit 370 aces this season and committed just 51 double faults. Can his aces win the race against Paul in this match? Looks a bit unlikely this time, though!