Very different preparation.

Nakashima went to play the UTS in Rio, while Etcheverry went to play a small clay-court tournament in Kitzbühel.

Nakashima won this UTS, but that doesn’t mean much, it’s almost an exhibition, even if the players give it their all and the pace is high. It also allowed him to make his surface transition onto hard and arrive well prepared for this tournament. I much prefer this preparation to Etcheverry’s, who went from grass to clay at altitude and will now have to make a long trip and adjust to a fast hard court.

The Argentinian is struggling a bit in terms of results, and I wasn’t very convinced by his performances in Kitzbühel. He got through two rounds, but he scared himself against Rodionov after having led by a wide margin, then he benefited from a completely exhausted Buse, who still managed to serve for the second set. We’re not at all looking at a dominant Etcheverry, far from it. I think he’s in a bit of a confidence crisis and he’s not feeling the ball very well at the moment. He’s still coming in with two wins, which is better than nothing, but now he has to switch back to fast hard courts, which is not his best surface. Obviously, his serve–forehand combo can work, but in front of him there’s someone who just does that better, plain and simple.

Nakashima is an upgraded version of Etcheverry on fast courts. The American is much sharper on serve and just as solid from the baseline. He may not have the same physical and mental qualities, but it’s a first round and he’s at home. Etcheverry’s arguments don’t carry much weight in this matchup. Nakashima has moved up a level, which makes him a particularly strong and hard-to-beat player. He’s also coming in confident after his UTS win and he has a good track record in Washington, whereas Etcheverry will be discovering the tournament and is coming from Europe. In terms of tournament preparation or potential level on hard courts, Nakashima should be a clear favorite here.