Brandon Nakashima vs Arthur Cazaux Prediction & Picks - ATP US Open

Prediction published on 8/28/24, 8:10 AM  by Tyler Doty | Modified on 8/28/24 at 8:16 AM in ATP US Open Picks

We might have expected a duel between Holger Rune and Pablo Carreno-Busta in the second round of the US Open, but in the end, it was Brandon Nakashima and Arthur Cazaux who sprang a surprise and will battle it out for a place in the 3rd round at Flushing Meadows.

It's been a bit of a roller-coaster ride for Brandon Nakashima. Still in the top 50 at the end of the 2022 season, the American had failed to confirm his position in 2023, suffering a series of setbacks on his way out of the top 100 players in the world. Although the start of the 2024 season wasn't as positive, the Californian challenged himself, not hesitating to regain his confidence thanks to the secondary circuit. A positive choice that bore fruit this summer with semi-finals in Surbiton and Stuttgart and a 3rd round appearance at Wimbledon. Having reached the last 16 in Montreal and Cincinnati, Brandon Nakashima confirmed his current good form, and his first-round victory over Holger Rune in 3 straight sets against the world's 15th-ranked player shows that the American is back to full fitness.

Arthur Cazaux faces a tough challenger in New York on Wednesday. The Frenchman put in a very fine performance to see off Pablo Carreno-Busta in the first round, despite being a semi-finalist in Winston-Salem last weekend and a former world number 10. The Frenchman has been on the comeback trail in recent weeks, with much-improved performances in Montreal, Cincinnati and Winston-Salem. But on Wednesday, the Frenchman will have to raise his game again, as he did in January at the Australian Open, where he reached the last 16. If Arthur Cazaux has what it takes, he'll have to do it again in this match.