Britain's Daniel Evans will face America's Brandon Nakashima at the 2024 ATP Barcelona tennis tournament soon. This will be a first-round match in the draw, which is also known as the 2024 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell. The event is a clay-court tournament at the 500-level on the men's tour. Evans, who is having a terrible season so far, is priced at +120 (bet365) on the moneyline. My Evans vs Nakashima prediction is that the latter player, Nakashima, will win this match as a mild favorite at -150 (bet365).
Schedule of Play: Right-click/Open in the New Tab to check match times: subject to change
Daniel Evans vs Brandon Nakashima Head-to-Head Series
These two players have met twice before in a series that dates back to 2021. The Evans vs Nakashima h2h is 1-1. But both of their matches were hard-court affairs. Their match on Monday from Spain will be the first time that they face one another on the clay-court surface.
Evans enters the match as the higher-ranked player. Ahead of the rankings for April 15th, he is the World No. 50. Nakashima is the World No. 88 as per the April 8th rankings. But on year-to-date rankings, Evans is just the 185th-best player on tour. His 34th birthday isn't too far off and he appears to be fading against competition that is increasingly younger than him. Meanwhile, Nakashima is enjoying the 39th-best season so far.
The Draw: Right-click/Open the link in a new tab for the draw for the 2024 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell
Daniel Evans' Recent Matches and Results
Evans was in Monte Carlo last week where he lost in the first round. Previously, he was in Marrakech….where he lost in the first round. His success this season has been minimal. First and second-round losses for Evans are quite common among his tournament results.
Brandon Nakashima's Recent Matches and Results
Nakashima was idle on tour last week. At our last look at the American, he was active in the ATP Houston draw. He did well in the 250-level tournament, making it to the quarterfinals. At that stage, Nakashima lost to Ben Shelton, the player who ultimately won the Houston title. Nakashima posted a competitive loss in his Houston exit, pushing Shelton to a 5-7, 6-7 result.
Evans vs Nakashima Prediction: Nakashima to win
If you throw out the ATP rankings in this match and focus on year-to-date perspectives, Nakashima looks far better than Evans. I think the only recommendation that can be made is for the American to win this match at -150 (bet365).
Evans appears as though he will be falling in the rankings this season. He was never one of the best players on tour. I don't see him as a player who will have a lot of staying power as he ages. Meanwhile, Nakashima, who will turn 23 years old this summer, appears to be coming into his prime. I would not be surprised to see him make the Top 40 by the end of the season.
Nakashima vs Evans prediction: Draw at the 2024 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell
The winner of this match will face the No. 2 seed, Andrey Rublev. Rublev has a bye through the first round. He has not been strong in recent events. I think Nakashima will advance and either beat Rublev or post a competitive loss in the second round.
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