TennisSection previews the 2021 French Open as Alexander Zverev (6) meets Kei Nishikori in the Round of 16 on Sunday June 6th, 2021.
A very exciting and competitive match is expected as sixth seed Alexander Zverev will meet Kei Nishikori in the Round of 16 here at the 2021 French Open. Both men have played outstanding tennis for the most part here at Roland Garros and are highly experienced, setting the tone for a battle. Who will get the win and advance to the Quarter-Finals here at Roland Garros?
Alexander Zverev is currently ranked #6 in the ATP world rankings, and is the sixth seed here at Roland Garros 2021. The German announced himself as a true contender for the title here in Paris with a string of strong performances this year, most notably winning the title on clay in Madrid. He started poorly here with a five set battle against Oscar Otte in the First Round, before responding well with dominant wins over Roman Safiullin and Lasjo Djere to reach this stage. Kei Nishikori will be his biggest test thus far, and Zverev is sure to not have it easy here against the Japanese star. Alexander Zverev should still be considered the favorite here, but if he is not at his best he could be in for a very rough time here in Paris.
Kei Nishikori is unseeded here at the 2021 French Open, and is currently ranked #49 in the ATP world rankings. Nishikori was once ranked as high as #4 in the world, but went through a period where he suffered with major injuries and loss of form. The Japanese star has had a mixed season so far, with two Semi-Final appearances in Rotterdam and Dubai followed by some poor clay court results. He has had a tough time so far here at the 2021 French Open, with back to back five set wins over Alessandro Giannessi and Karen Khachanov before his Third Round opponent Henri Laaksonnen withdrew due to injury after losing the first set. This will have allowed him extra time to recover, which will be critical here when facing Alexander Zverev. While Nishikori is the underdog, he is certainly capable of causing the upset here at Roland Garros 2021.
This will be the sixth time that Alexander Zverev and Kei Nishikori are facing each other on the ATP Tour, with the German leading the head to head 4-1. They played twice this year on clay, with Zverev winning both times in Madrid and Rome. This is quite a difficult match to predict, as both men are capable of getting the win here. Alexander Zverev has been outstanding this year on clay, and while his form has been a bit shaky here at the 2021 French Open, I am still giving him the slight edge here. He has just a bit more firepower than his Japanese opponent Nishikori, and I expect him to win a tough match in four sets. If it goes the distance then I would probably give the edge to Kei Nishikori, as his five set record is impeccable. Expect a ferocious battle, with Zverev coming out on top to reach the Quarter-Finals here at Roland Garros 2021.
Free Tennis Pick and Prediction: Alexander Zverev to win / Both men to win a set
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