Ben Shelton had a rough start at the 2024 Houston Open, having to play three sets, and up next, he'll take on Brandon Nakashima.
Shelton has been playing a lot of tennis lately, but he doesn't seem to mind. Part of that is because he hasn't really had a deep run so far, which would certainly raise his fatigue levels.
In Houston, where he attempts to recreate his father's feat, the American made a winning start, albeit in three sets. It took him some time to get used to the courts there.
Now he's facing a compatriot who looked more comfortable than he did in his match.
Shelton and Nakashima have never played against each other on the ATP Tour, which is a bit surprising as they're both young and grew up on the Tour together. Shelton has had a far better career so far, but Nakashima is a fine player with a solid skillset.
He has a good serve and a pretty solid forehand, making him dangerous in conditions like in Houston. As Shelton found out against Zizou Bergs, playing on a clay court there is a bit of a unique experience. Both are solid fits on it, but I expect Shelton to play much better this time around compared to his previous match.
| Ben Shelton | Brandon Nakashima | |
| 0 | H2H | 0 |
| 16 | Rank | 92 |
| 21 | Age | 22 |
| 12-7 | 2024 W/L | 3-2 |
| 41-34 | Career W/L | 71-59 |
For Shelton, it's all about comfort. He overcame that first match and will now be much better in the second. He's generally a better player than Nakashima and has played better in recent times, so I do expect him to win this without any problems.
It's going to be a close match, though, so Shelton won't overrun his opponent, but I do expect him to win in three sets.
Prediction: Ben Shelton to win in three sets.