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Match details
Fixture: (19) John Isner vs (WC) Brandon Nakashima
Tournament: 2021 US Open
Round: First round (Round of 128)
Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
Prize money: $40,560,000
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel & ESPN/ESPN 2 | UK - Amazon Prime Video | India - Star Sports / Disney+ Hotstar VIP
John Isner vs Brandon Nakashima preview
American stalwart John Isner will be playing in his 15th consecutive US Open this year. Isner, who has not missed a single edition of his home Grand Slam since turning pro, will face countryman Brandon Nakashima in the first round.
The 20-year-old Nakashima, meanwhile, will be playing in the main draw of the US Open for the second time in his career.
Isner has produced some impressive performances in the North American hardcourt swing. He finished as a semifinalist at the Los Cabos Open, where he was beaten by none other than Nakashima.
The 36-year-old then went on to win the Atlanta Open. He beat the likes of Jack Sock and Taylor Fritz en route to the final, where he locked horns with Nakashima once again. However, he was able to beat the American youngster on that occasion.
Isner raised his level even further at the Toronto Masters, where he made the semifinals. The big-serving American beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Cristian Garin, Andrey Rublev, and a resurgent Gael Monfils before losing to Daniil Medvedev in the last four.
Fatigued by his exploits in the Canadian event, Isner failed to progress beyond the third round at the Cincinnati Masters.
Meanwhile, Brandon Nakashima finished as the runner-up in both the Los Cabos Open and the Atlanta Open. During this period, he posted victories over Sam Querrey, John Isner, Milos Raonic, and Emil Ruusuvuori.
However, the World No. 83 suffered a letdown at the Citi Open and Cincinnati Masters, managing just two victories. Nakashima lost in the third round in Washington and in the first round in Cincinnati.
John Isner vs Brandon Nakashima head-to-head
The head-to-head between John Isner and Brandon Nakashima is tied at 1-1. Nakashima beat Isner 7-5, 6-4 at the Los Cabos Open last month. Isner exacted revenge by beating Nakashima 7-6(8), 7-5 in the finals of the Atlanta Open earlier this month.
John Isner vs Brandon Nakashima prediction
John Isner's foot speed and return quality have dipped considerably in recent months. The American's forehand is also not the threat it once was. Thus, he struggles to win matches if he fails to land a high percentage of first serves, which is, by far, his biggest weapon.
Brandon Nakashima has an excellent block return in his arsenal, which has yielded good rewards against Isner recently. Nakashima's serve, while not the biggest, is pretty solid and has troubled the 19th seed in their previous meetings.
Should Isner hit his spots consistently on serve, he will have the upper hand. But fitness will play a major role in this best-of-five matchup. It is no secret that Nakashima is the fitter player of the two and he could pull off the win if this goes the distance.
Prediction: Brandon Nakashima to win in five sets.
