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Huge match last night from Griekspoor to take out Khachanov; it was really the very best version of the Dutchman, with a very effective serve, a constant desire to go forward, and a great attitude. There had been a bit of improvement over the last two tournaments and that was confirmed yesterday. He probably should have won the 2nd set, and in the end he managed to refocus perfectly in the 3rd set against a very tenacious opponent.

Across the net, Nakashima benefited from a Darderi who first seemed injured at the start of the match before offering rather inconsistent resistance throughout. I found Nakashima fairly average; he took quite a while to get a break in the 2nd set against a demoralized opponent. He was solid overall without being brilliant, and I’m left with mixed feelings, especially after Stockholm where he was outclassed by Marozsan.

For the matchup, I think Griekspoor, with his offensive game, will be able to unsettle Nakashima and push him out of his preferred positions; I see a matchup edge for him here. Only one H2H, with a clear win for Nakashima on clay in 2022.

I think you’ve got the picture: based on what I saw in the first round and current form, my pick for this match is a no-brainer!