Firenze Open 2022: Brandon Nakashima vs. Richard Gasquet Tennis Pick and Prediction

TennisSection previews the 2022 Firenze Open as Brandon Nakashima takes on Richard Gasquet in the first round on Tuesday, October 11th, 2022.

Will Brandon Nakashima continue to climb the ATP ladder at the inaugural Firenze Open? Or will Richard Gasquet roll back the years and end his season with a flourish? This should be fascinating battle between two contrasting game styles. So who will book their spot in the second round?

Brandon Nakashima’s return to Japanese soil did not go to plan as the World No. 47 was soundly beaten by Borna Coric in the second round this past week. While it may appear as though the title hangover from San Diego had extended for far too long, Nakashima was playing a resurgent Coric in Tokyo, whose form this fall had taken many by surprise. The American has still enjoyed a breakthrough year on the main tour, winning the aforementioned maiden ATP title at his hometown and simultaneously breaking inside the top 50 for the first time.

Richard Gasquet, meanwhile, is not winding down the clock just yet. In a year where many seasoned campaigners and some of his peers have announced their retirements, Gasquet has not contemplated the idea of hanging up his racket. The Frenchman, now 36, is still slugging it out on both ATP and Challenger Tours in 2022, winning a combined 30 matches – his best return since 2018. However, recent form suggests Gasquet will struggle to break down Nakashima, although stranger things have happened.

Brandon Nakashima and Richard Gasquet have not crossed paths on the ATP Tour. Tuesday’s match at the Firenze Open will be their first official meeting. Gasquet remains a perennial danger on an indoor hard court, but whether he can sustain his level for large patches in his matches is an entirely different thing. Nakashima should be able to have a lot more joy attacking the Frenchman’s forehand here and is a solid bet to advance.