Brandon Nakashima vs Alexander Zverev 5/27/22 French Open Tennis Picks, Predictions, Odds

Alexander Zverev and Brandon Nakashima meet in the third round of the 2022 tennis French Open.

Alexander Zverev is coming off a five sets win over Sebastian Baez that took 45 games to decide. In the victory, Zverev won 68 percent of his first serve points and 47 percent of his second serve points. Zverev won 61 percent of his total service points and converted on seven of his 11 break points. Zverev came back after dropping the first two sets, and he hit 42 winners in over three and a half hours. It’s a confidence boosting victory, but Zverev may be a bit drained physically and mentally after such a comeback. Zverev hasn’t lost before the fourth round of a grand slam since 2019 Wimbledon. Zverev looks to make a fifth straight French Open fourth round. Zverev has won eight of his last 10 matches on clay court.

Brandon Nakashima is coming off a straight set win over Tallon Griekspoor that took 31 games to decide. In the victory, Nakashima won 75 percent of his first serve points and 64 percent of his second serve points. Nakashima won 70 percent of his total service points and converted on five of his nine break points. Nakashima got 60 percent of his first serves in play and hit 25 winners to go with 14 unforced errors. Nakashima has played eight sets to get to this point and has won two straight matches for the first time since Sydney back in January. Nakashima looks to make his first ever grand slam fourth round appearance. Nakashima has won four of his last five matches on clay court.

Zverev won the only meeting against Nakashima which came in the 2020 US Open. The match was decided in four sets and 41 games.

Nakashima is a promising American prospect who has come along over the last six months, and he can put a scare into the German. Zverev has a reputation for up and down play at times, and his most recent effort was nearly a disaster. Zverev should still win this match, but he’ll have to work for it, and it wouldn’t be shocking if it’s another hairy match. Nakashima can spray winners and get hot out of nowhere, and he’s been rather clean through two matches in terms of unforced errors.

I still like Zverev, but it will take four sets.