We’re barely five days into the grass court season, and already memories of the Parisian clay are a distant memory. This week is all about green, slick surfaces–something that both Jack Draper and Brandon Nakashima have been finding success on.
The pair meet in the semi-finals of the Boss Open in Stuttgart on Saturday. Can Draper continue his dream start to the grass season before he heads back to the UK to play in front of home crowds? Read on for our Draper vs Nakashima prediction and betting tips.
Draper and Nakashima reach this stage of the Stuttgart Open by very different paths. For Draper, it was a hard-fought three set victory over No. 4 seed Frances Tiafoe. The Brit went to a third set tiebreak in order to win the match, prevailing in impressive fashion at the death.
For Nakashima, the young American was gifted a walkover into the semi-finals, courtesy of home star Jan-Lennard Struff withdrawing due to illness.
As a result, we have a fascinating clash: the in-form, battle-hardened Draper vs the rested, fresh Nakashima.
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How the Bookies View It: Draper Favoured
Bookmaker bet365 puts Draper as a moderate favourite in this match. The Brit pays 4/9 to win, ahead of Nakashima’s 7/4 odds. Draper is given a -2.5 handicap at 10/11, and is expected to win in two sets, with this paying 6/5.
Recent Head-to-Head: Nakashima Ahead, Technically
Draper and Nakashima have an interesting head-to-head. The pair have technically met once on the ATP Tour, in the Next Gen ATP Finals two years ago. This went Nakashima’s way, with the match played in an abbreviated format– 4-3(6), 1-4, 4-2, 4-3(5).
However, since then, the pair have met on the Challenger Tour. This took place last year in Bergamo, and Draper won 6-1, 3-6, 7-5. Both matches were on indoor hard courts.
Anything Else Catch the Eye?
The quarter-final match between Draper and Tiafoe was of the highest quality. Despite the close score line, Draper played some of his best tennis of the year.
The Brit blasted down an incredible 31 aces across the match, winning 85 percent of his first serve points. In fact, he only faced two break points in the two hour, six minute clash. He was also impressive on the second serve, winning 61 percent of points.
Throw in 58 winners to just 16 unforced errors, and Draper was looking very dangerous. Bring a similar level to the court against Nakashima, and this could well be a mismatch.
In Nakashima’s opening two matches, he was equally impressive. The American has only faced three break points all tournament, and has consistently been recording first serve percentages in the mid-to-high 70s.
Draper vs Nakashima Betting Tips & Predictions
As well as Draper is playing, the Brit has a penchant for running hot and cold across the duration of matches. We expect him to win, but it would be no surprise if this goes the distance.
- Draper to win 2-1 @ 12/5
- Three sets total @ 6/5
Draper and Nakashima take to Center Court first in Stuttgart, not before 12pm on Saturday.
Bren is our resident Kiwi, and has been playing or watching sports down under in New Zealand for the better part of three decades. With 12+ years experience as a professional writer, Bren loves to dive deep into all things sport to bring the best betting analysis and predictions here at Mr Fixits Tips.
