Ready for a challenge?

Humbert gets a tough opponent straight away!

We didn't get to see so much from the Frenchman during the hardcourt swing in North America, since he got injured. I still think it's his worst part of all the hardcourt swings; I find him better in Australia and Asian events, as the conditions suit him better. A lot of this match will depend on how quickly he can find his level, because he has all the tools to do well here. He has a dominant record against Nakashima, having won all four matches on hardcourt/grass. It should really be noted that these matches were quite a while ago, when Nakashima was a lot more passive. Clearly, he has taken a huge step forward this year, and I would say that one of the main reasons is his increased aggression and confidence. It will be interesting to see if Brandon can keep building on the massive summer results he got back home in the US (and Canada); it was a lot of matches and surely a lot of fatigue, both mentally and physically. We do know that he is the ultimate professional, and he also managed to get a win against Mensik in the Laver Cup! As you can tell, I believe there are quite a few unknowns in this match... how will Nakashima be compared to a few weeks ago? Can Humbert get going straight away and not be overwhelmed by Nakashima's consistent aggression? A tricky one for sure...