Rafael Nadal vs Tommy Paul Prediction & Betting Tips - ATP Acapulco Open

Prediction published on 24/02/2022, 06:24  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 24/02/2022 at 07:25 in Tennis Predictions

Rafa Nadal bids to win his 13th match in a row this year. The fourth seed for the Mexican Open takes on unseeded Tommy Paul in the quarter finals. The winner will face either top seed Daniil Medvedev or Yoshihito Nishioka in the last four. Nadal has been rolling back the years so far in 2022. The Spaniard won the two tournaments he played down under, including that record-breaking success in the Australian Open. This week has seen Nadal get wins over Denis Kudla and Stefan Koslov. Both players beaten were 'lucky losers' who were beaten in the qualifiers. Now he takes on Tommy Paul for the first time in his career.

The American began this week ranked 39th in the world but would climb to 33rd if getting an unlikely win over Nadal. Paul has had a good year so far though. He reached the last eight in both of the Adelaide tournaments held at the start of the year. The highest ranked player beaten was the then world number 37 Frances Tiafoe. Paul only made it to the second round of the Australian Open but last week got to the semi-finals in Delray Beach. That wasn't the hardest task in the world as the players he beat were ranked 151st and 267th. The American then lost to eventual champion Cameron Norrie in the last four winning only six games. This tournament has seen Paul beat the fifth seeded Matteo Berrettini in the first round. He lost the first set but was 5-1 up in the second when the Italian retired. Round two saw Paul get a three set win over Dusan Lajovic. Back Nadal to win this and do so in straight sets.