Barcelona Open 2023: Goffin vs Nishioka Tennis Prediction & Pick

TennisSection previews the 2023 Barcelona Open second-round match featuring David Goffin vs Yoshihito Nishioka on Wednesday, April 19, 2023.

Goffin vs Nishioka Match Preview and Prediction

World No. 99 David Goffin will face Japanese lefty Yoshihito Nishioka in the second round of the Barcelona Open. With both players struggling for good form, only one is guaranteed a win. Who will prevail?

David Goffin won his opening match at the Barcelona Open, beating Spanish veteran Feliciano Lopez 7-6, 6-7, 6-0 for his first win since February. Goffin had been out of action for over a month due to a knee injury but returned just in time for the clay swing in Monte Carlo. He didn’t make an impression there but got a confidence-boosting win over Lopez who fought tooth and nail in what could possibly be his final match on home soil. Let’s see if the Belgian can back up that win when he plays a struggling Yoshihito Nishioka.

Yoshihito Nishioka had a bye in the first round of the Barcelona Open and will play his first official match on clay in almost a year. The Japanese lefty put himself in contention to be among the top 32 seeds at the French Open after a rousing run to the fourth round of this year’s Australian Open. But his recent form leaves a lot to be desired with a measly one win in five matches.

Goffin vs Nishioka Prediction and Pick

David Goffin and Yoshihito Nishioka are tied at 1-1 in their head-to-head. The Japanese is clutching straws ahead of the Barcelona Open. He’s thrown a couple of stinkers in his last two matches and while he is generally a better mover than Goffin at this stage of his career, his level has dipped alarmingly. Goffin didn’t look great for the most part against Lopez, but he should be in competitive form to win.