US Open 2020: Andy Murray vs Yoshihito Nishioka preview, head-to-head & prediction  

Match details

Fixture: Andy Murray vs Yoshihito Nishioka

Date: 1 September 2020

Tournament: US Open 2020

Round: First round (Round of 128)

Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York, USA

Category: Grand Slam

Surface: Outdoor hardcourt

Prize money: $39,024,000

Match timing: 12.00 pm EDT, 9.30 pm IST

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel / ESPN | India - Star Sports / Hotstar

Andy Murray vs Yoshihito Nishioka preview

Andy Murray opens his 2020 US Open campaign against Yoshihito Nishioka

Former champion Andy Murray opens his campaign at the 2020 US Open against Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka on Tuesday.

Andy Murray, who is currently ranked 115th in the world and required a wildcard to compete at the US Open, had a good run at the Cincinnati Masters in August. He made it to the Round of 16 where he lost in straight sets to eventual finalist Milos Raoinic.

Murray looked in relatively good touch during the week, especially for someone who was playing his first tennis tournament of the year.

This will be Andy Murray's first singles Grand Slam appearance since last year's Australian Open; the Scot underwent two major hip surgeries in the intervening period. The Brit says that he has lost a bit of his pace due to the operations but hopes to compete consistently at the highest level.

It will be interesting to see how his body responds to best-of-five tennis now.

Yoshihito Nishioka made it to Round 3 of the Australian Open this year where he was beaten by eventual champion Novak Djokovic.

Yoshihito Nishioka, No. 48 in the world, has had a decent year so far. He reached his career-high ranking in 2020 and made it to the third round of the Australian Open – his best return at a Grand Slam.

The Japanese player also made it to the final of the Delray Beach Open in March where he lost in three sets to Reilly Opelka. This will be his first tournament since the COVID-19-enforced lockdown.

Andy Murray vs Yoshihito Nishioka head-to-head

Andy Murray

Andy Murray and Yoshihito Nishioka have not faced off on tour, so their head-to-head currently stands at 0-0.

Andy Murray vs Yoshihito Nishioka prediction

Andy Murray

Andy Murray faces a tough test in Nishioka, whose career has been on an upswing in recent times. However, the Brit will be confident of his chances on Monday as he had a decent run at the Cincinnati Masters where he played three matches.

Nishioka, on the other hand, might be a little rusty. He made his last appearance on tour at the Dubai Open in February; he has not been a part of any post-lockdown tournaments. But the left-hander defeated two top 10 players last year - compatriot Kei Nishikori and Frenchman Gael Monfils - in hardcourt encounters, so he knows what it takes to challenge the best.

This promises to be a grueling match between two baseliners, but Andy Murray's superior experience and pedigree should see him through to the next round.

Prediction: Andy Murray to win in four sets.

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