Stuttgart Open 2024: Christopher Eubanks vs Brandon Nakashima; Preview, Head-to-Head, Prediction

Are you ready for the All-American clash at the 2024 Boss Open in Stuttgart? Georgia’s Christopher Eubanks takes on California’s Brandon Nakashima in a nail-biting first-round (R32) match on Tuesday (June 11). Both the players have played against each other quite a few times, and they know each other’s strengths and weaknesses very well. But who is going to come out of this thrilling matchup with flying colors?

Christopher Eubanks hasn’t yet got a long run in his previous tournaments this year. The 28-year-old tennis star has looked pretty ordinary this season. However, his 22-year-old opponent has been quite consistent in the Challenger tournaments this year. Brandon Nakashima has already won a title at the Challenger Tenerife, ES earlier this season. Apart from that he has also reached one final, four SFs, and three QFs in his previous tournaments this season. It will be interesting to see how well the youngster approaches this game against the 2023 Wimbledon quarterfinalist.

Christopher Eubanks vs Brandon Nakashima: Preview

Christopher Eubanks was last seen in action at the 2024 French Open. The new world number one, Jannik Sinner defeated the American by 6-3,6-3,6-4 in the first round of the tournament. Eubanks hit four aces and committed nine double faults against Sinner in that match. He won 63% of his first serve and 50% of his second serve. However, Chris Eubanks could only convert one out of his ten breakpoints against Jannik Sinner.

The American tennis star has fired 115 aces this season but has committed near about 38 double faults so far. He has won 85% of his service games and just only 8% of his return games this year. Are these numbers enough to keep him ahead of Nakashima in the first-round clash in Stuttgart?

Well, Brandon Nakashima has been quite impressive this season. He made an SF appearance in his previous tournament (Surbiton Trophy). However, the youngster lost that match against Switzerland’s Leandro Riedi by 4-6,6-3,1-6. He hit five aces and committed three double faults against the Swiss. Nakashima won 71% of his first serve and 50% of his second serve in that match. He successfully converted his single breakpoint in that match.

Nakashima has hit a total of 102 aces this season and has committed just 14 double faults. He has won 88% of his service games and 16% of his return games so far. His numbers are as impressive as his H2H stat against the former Top 30 tennis player!

Eubanks vs Nakashima: Head-to-Head

This will be their sixth meeting and currently, Brandon Nakashima leads the H2H scoreline with a 3-2 margin. Their first meeting was at the Challenger Tiburon, US, and in that match, Nakashima defeated Eubanks by 7-6,7-5, After that, they met on three other occasions before their latest clash at the 2024 Indian Wells Masters.

At the Indian Wells, Brandon Nakashima yet again defeated Christopher Eubanks by 6-3,7-6(3) in the R128. In that match, Eubanks hit five aces and committed four double faults, while Nakashima hit five aces and didn’t commit a single double fault in the entire match. Brandon Nakashima won 83% of his first serve and 74% of his second serve. Christopher Eubanks won 73% of his first serve and 81% of his second serve against his compatriot. In the breakpoints, Eubanks was 0/0 while Nakashima recorded 1/1. Although they have met each other quite a few times, this will be their first meeting on grass. Who will have the last laugh in this exciting contest?

Prediction: Nakashima to win this match in three sets

Although Chris Eubanks showcased his potential on grass courts at the Wimbledon last year. But this year he has struggled a lot to find his rhythm. Eubanks currently has a win-loss record of 4-12 compared to Nakashima’s 6-8. The 6ft 7 inches Christopher Eubanks will bank on his fiery serves to topple the youngster. He has an aggressive style of play with a good strong forehand. His powerful serves have earned him the name of ‘The Rocket.‘

But is there enough fuel in the rocket to surpass ‘B-Nak’? Perhaps not, Brandon Nakashima’s versatile game may prove to be a bit handy for the experienced American this time around. Nakashima has an extremely good court coverage ability and his biggest shot is his double-handed backhand. So, looking at their current forms, I’d keep the 6ft 2 inches a little higher than the 6ft 7 inches in Stuttgart!