The Yanks

Six Americans in the top 20, that really makes for a great team!

Well, I’m not going to hide that I’m happy to see Tiafoe as an underdog here, because I think he can manage to do what Fritz didn’t (or didn’t even try to) do. Namely: vary his game to unsettle the Nakashima machine, and turn it into a much more physical battle. Fritz didn’t hit drop shots, slices, or cross-court shots… he was trading from the baseline with Brandon without really making him move, and was mostly hanging in thanks to his serve. Tiafoe has good hands. He’s more creative. And above all, I don’t think he’ll fall into the trap of “he must be tired, no need to really go after the points.”

What impresses me is that Tiafoe leads 7–1 in their head‑to‑head, and he’s still being labelled the underdog here. I would’ve thought Nakashima’s game would bother him a bit more, especially with that metronomic serve of his. Maybe it comes down to the big points, because quite a few of their matches are tight anyway.

Of course, Nakashima has never played at the level he’s playing at right now. He’s overflowing with confidence, and he can drag his opponent into tiebreaks that he’ll play with more freedom. That’s the risk, that’s for sure.

But not enough for me to make him the favorite!