Brandon Nakashima

[Damian]

14.09.2020

Najwyższy ranking w karierze: 199

[Kamileki]

CH Orlando SF:

190 Mitchell Krueger 337
191 Brandon Nakashima 336
192 Mackenzie McDonald 335

[Kamileki]

CH Orlando F:

177 Arthur Rinderknech 358
178 Brandon Nakashima 355
179 Kimmer Coppejans 353

[DUN I LOVE]

Brandon królem w Orlando!

Pierwszy tytuł CH Amerykanina, pefekcyjny bilans 1-0 w finałach. Mocny akcent na zakończenie sezonu.

[arti]

[DUN I LOVE]

Same wielki tuzy wokoł.

- najmłodszy amerykański zwycięzca CH od czasów Tiafoe (2017)
- najmłodszy amerykański zwycięzca CH bez straty seta od czasów Fritza (2015)
- drugi amerykański zwycięzca CH w listopadzie spod znaku #NextGenATP (wcześniej Korda);

[Barty]

[Barty]

Same wielki tuzy wokoł.

- najmłodszy amerykański zwycięzca CH od czasów Tiafoe (2017)
- najmłodszy amerykański zwycięzca CH bez straty seta od czasów Fritza (2015)
- drugi amerykański zwycięzca CH w listopadzie spod znaku #NextGenATP (wcześniej Korda);

Zdecydowanie najlepszą z nich karierę będzie miał. Rzekłem ino.

[DUN I LOVE]

Zdecydowanie najlepszą z nich karierę będzie miał. Rzekłem ino.

Te uwaam, że może kiedyś wygrać 2 kruniki i zbliżyć się do Top-20.

[Barty]

Włącz ży.

[arti]

[Damian]

23.11.2020

Najwyższy ranking w karierze: 166

[Damian]

Brandon's Breakthrough: 19-Year-Old Nakashima Claims Maiden Title In Orlando

Spoiler:

Revisit the week that was on the ATP Challenger Tour, as we applaud the achievements of those on the rise and look ahead...

A LOOK BACK
Orlando Open presented by Nemours (Orlando, Florida, USA): The ATP Challenger Tour has its newest teen titlist. On Sunday, Brandon Nakashima celebrated his maiden crown on home soil in Orlando, dominating all week at the USTA National Campus. The 19-year-old did not drop a set from start to finish, culminating in a 6-3, 6-4 final victory over Prajnesh Gunneswaran.

At the age of 19 years and three months, Nakashima is the youngest American champion since Frances Tiafoe in 2017. In addition, his victory marks the sixth time that a teenager has lifted a trophy this year. He joins Tomas Machac, Lorenzo Musetti and three-time winner Carlos Alcaraz in the teen winners' circle.

2020 Teenage Winners

Player Age Title Won
Carlos Alcaraz
17 years, 3 months
Trieste, ITA
Carlos Alcaraz
17 years, 5 months
Barcelona, ESP
Carlos Alcaraz
17 years, 5 months
Alicante, ESP
Lorenzo Musetti
18 years, 6 months
Forli, ITA
Brandon Nakashima
19 years, 3 months
Orlando, USA
Tomas Machac
19 years, 4 months
Koblenz, GER
Appearing in his first Challenger final, the California native left it all on the court with an impressive performance against Gunneswaran. An unflappable force throughout Sunday's championship, Nakashima would save all eight break points faced during the one-hour and 18-minute encounter. Leading by a set and a break, he overcame a 0/40 deficit deep in the second set and never looked back.

Nakashima soars 36 spots to a career-high No. 166 in the FedEx ATP Rankings. He is one of two #NextGenATP Americans closing in on the Top 100, along with Sebastian Korda. Korda is also coming off a maiden Challenger triumph, prevailing two weeks ago in Eckental, Germany.


Challenger Ciudad de Guayaquil (Guayaquil, Ecuador): The longest-running tournament in South America crowned Francisco Cerundolo as its champion on Sunday. The Argentine triumphed on the clay of Guayaquil, defeating Andrej Martin 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 for his second Challenger title.

It has been a ruthless run for Cerundolo in recent months, posting a 13-2 record since mid-September. After lifting his first Challenger trophy in Split, Croatia, the 22-year-old has not looked back. He earned consecutive wins over clay-court talents Jaume Munar, Roberto Carballes Baena and Martin to secure his second title.

You May Also Like: How Cerundolo Won His First Challenger Title & Aced Three Exams... In The Same Week
Cerundolo was presented with the trophy by tournament director and former World No. 4 Andres Gomez. The final was broadcast on ESPN's digital platform in Latin America and was watched by thousands in the region.

Cerundolo

Sparkasse Challenger 80 (Ortisei, Italy): Cerundolo isn't the only player carrying serious momentum in 2021. Ilya Ivashka also claimed his second Challenger title of the restart, fighting to the finish line on the indoor hard courts of Ortisei. Ivashka defeated fifth seed Antoine Hoang for the title, prevailing 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(3) on Sunday.

The Belarusian triumphed after two hours and 19 minutes, improving to 13-1 since mid-October. Also the champion in Istanbul a month ago, Ivashka rises to No. 107 in the FedEx ATP Rankings. The Minsk native, who reached a career-high of No. 80 in 2019, has closed out his season in dominant fashion, dropping just four combined sets in his last 14 matches.

Ivashka

A LOOK AHEAD
The ATP Tour season might be over, but two weeks remain on the ATP Challenger Tour. A pair of clay-court stops on South American soil include tournaments in Lima, Peru and Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Cerundolo and top seed Federico Coria lead the charge in Lima, while Thiago Monteiro is the top seed in Sao Paulo. Brazil's #NextGenATP star Thiago Seyboth Wild is also competing on home soil.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/challen ... ma-orlando

[Damian]

Challenger First-Time Winner Spotlight: Brandon Nakashima

Spoiler:

19-year-old American reflects on his first ATP Challenger Tour title in Orlando

On Sunday, Brandon Nakashima had his moment in the spotlight. After a tumultuous and unprecedented 2020 season, it was the 19-year-old who seized the opportunity and concluded his campaign with a maiden ATP Challenger Tour crown.

Nakashima was the last man standing in Orlando, prevailing at the USTA National Campus. The California native did not drop a set all tournament, capping a dominant week at the Orlando Open with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Prajnesh Gunneswaran.

Nakashima is building his reputation around a steely resolve and unflappable determination. An elite problem solver on the court, nothing rattles the teenager, regardless of the score, situation and opponent. This was on full display on Sunday, as he saved all eight break points faced to cross the finish line. With Gunneswaran pressing to draw level deep in the second set, Nakashima emerged from a 0/40 deficit and did not look back.

You May Also Like: 19-Year-Old Nakashima: 'I Always Wanted To Be No. 1'
At the age of 19 years and three months, Nakashima is the youngest American champion since Frances Tiafoe in 2017. In addition, his victory marks the sixth time that a teenager has lifted a trophy this year. He joins Tomas Machac, Lorenzo Musetti and three-time champion Carlos Alcaraz in the teen winners' circle.

Nakashima soars 36 spots to a career-high No. 166 in the FedEx ATP Rankings. He is one of two #NextGenATP Americans closing in on the Top 100, along with Sebastian Korda. Korda is also coming off a maiden Challenger triumph, prevailing two weeks ago in Eckental, Germany.


Nakashima spoke with broadcaster Mike Cation after taking the title in Orlando...

Brandon, you don't show a lot of emotion, but you dropped your racquet and raised your arms after match point. It seems like this one means a lot to you to get that first Challenger title.
It definitely does. Playing all these Challengers the past couple years was all leading up to this moment, to win my first title. I couldn't be happier right now.

It's been a very interesting progression for you, in terms of what you're trying to do. I know there's that long-term expectation of getting to the Top 100, Top 50 and beyond. How are you managing that while still focusing on these Challenger tournaments?
Ever since I started playing, I've always wanted to play tennis at the highest level and eventually become No. 1 in the world. I think this is just a great stepping stone in that direction. It shows that all my hard work throughout the past couple years is paying off. I'm happy to get my first Challenger under my belt and this will give me a lot of confidence for any future ATP Tour tournaments in the future.

You had a couple of rough weeks in Europe, before coming back to the states. What did you learn from those tournaments where you had some early losses and how did that translate to these weeks in the U.S.?
Those tournaments in Europe were on clay. I hadn't had much experience playing on the surface. But it was great to go over there for the first time as a professional and play Roland Garros qualies and then some Challengers all over Europe. It was just a great experience, no matter my results. I know I gained a lot and learned a lot and that eventually helped me in these past couple weeks back in the states. And it will definitely help me when I'm back over there in the future.

I think you are universally applauded for your problem solving. What are the things you are working on, to take this to the next level and beyond?
I always try to improve every part of my game as much as possible. During the [COVID-19] shutdown, I was definitely trying to improve my serve a lot and get some more free points from it. I am working on being more solid from the baseline and also add more variety to my game. It's a good progression throughout the past few months. I'm definitely heading in the right direction. After this, I'm just ready to get back to the practice court and continue improving all aspects of my game. And especially fitness. That's important and something I want to focus on more.

2020 Teenage Winners

Player Age Title Won
Carlos Alcaraz
17 years, 3 months
Trieste, ITA
Carlos Alcaraz
17 years, 5 months
Barcelona, ESP
Carlos Alcaraz
17 years, 5 months
Alicante, ESP
Lorenzo Musetti
18 years, 6 months
Forli, ITA
Brandon Nakashima
19 years, 3 months
Orlando, USA
Tomas Machac
19 years, 4 months
Koblenz, GER
I want to get back to that shortly, but regarding today, you saved all eight break chances. What does that say about what you've been doing over these last several months?
I think that saving all those break points shows my mental ability and being able to play one point at a time. I know I can come back from any situation when I'm out there. It just shows how mentally tough I am and we'll see where that takes me in the future.

When I speak to other people in the media, everyone is in awe of your mental and emotional stability. Do you actually have a good understanding of how different that is from so many players?
[Laughs]. Yes, I've definitely heard that from a lot of people, that I'm really strong mentally. It definitely helps me get through these tough matches and to win these critical points. I'm always trying to improve that.

How do you set up your offseason, with so much uncertainty surrounding the start of 2021? How do you plan what you're going to do for the next few weeks?
As all players do, we're just going to get back on the practice court and focus on what we can do to improve. I'm going to work on the stuff that I've built the past couple weeks. I know what I need to do to improve. It's great that we have a little break, but as always I'm looking forward to competing again, no matter when it is.

I've been watching some of your practices and this guy over here [coach Dusan Vemic] has been pretty tough on you. Is he going to allow you to celebrate a little bit? [laughs]
I hope so. Maybe he'll allow me to have a treat tonight, but we'll see. I'm going to take a few days off and enjoy it as much as possible.

More 2020 #NextGenATP First-Time Winner Spotlights: Alcaraz | Musetti | Korda

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/nakashi ... er-orlando

[Kamileki]

2020 w liczbach:

Ranking: 166
Bilans meczów: 3-2
Tytuły: 0
Finały: 0
Zarobki: $161,911

[Barty]

21 UNDER 21 TO WATCH IN '21: BRANDON NAKASHIMA

Spoiler:

Baseline is looking ahead to the new year by showcasing 21 players under 21 to watch out for in '21. To make the coveted list, players must be born in 2000 or later.

San Diego native Brandon Nakashima made his mark immediately upon entering the ATP level this year, taking advantage of a Delray Beach wild card by recording wins over Jiri Vesely and Cameron Norrie. He backed that result up at the US Open, where he defeated Paolo Lorenzi before taking a set off Alexander Zverev in the second round.

Additionally, he won both an ITF and a Challenger title, showing that he's already ready to compete at all levels. All of this makes him one of men's tennis' highest-ranked and most promising teenagers.

Ranking: No. 166

Age: 19 (Aug. 3, 2001)

What he did in 2020: Won Rancho Santa Fe ITF and Orlando Challenger titles, victorious in his first main-draw US Open match

Instagram: @brandon_nakashima


Career highlights​: Having made his tour-level debut this year, Nakashima doesn't have too much history to look back on. However, in addition to the successes already mentioned, he took the title at the 2018 ITF event in Laguna Niguel, Calif.

http://baseline.tennis.com/article/9219 ... -nakashima

[Kamileki]

Brandon Nakashima, World No. 166

Nakashima made a splash in his ATP Tour debut at the Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com. Then 18 years old, the American became the youngest quarter-finalist at the tournament since Kei Nishikori’s 2008 title-winning run and he was the fourth-youngest to make the last eight in event history.

Famously level-headed and with a growing reputation for being a problem-solver on court, Nakashima made it a mission to keep chipping away at his ranking in 2020 after starting the year ranked No. 364. The American saved the best for last as he lifted his first Challenger trophy in Orlando to close out the season at a new career-high FedEx ATP Ranking of No.166.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/2021-se ... p-to-watch

[Barty]

AO 2021 qualifying: Players to watch

Brandon Nakashima

Korda is not the youngest American in the field – that honour goes to teenager Brandon Nakashima, who also closed 2020 with a Challenger title thanks to his victory in Orlando. It was one many impressive results last year for the 19-year-old, who also reached the quarterfinals of the ATP Delray Beach event, compiled a win-loss record of 28-14, and improved his ranking from No.367 to No.166.

https://ausopen.com/articles/news/ao-20 ... yers-watch

[Damian]

Ready For Launch: Musetti, Nakashima Headline Challenger Season Debut

Spoiler:

Istanbul Indoor Challenger kicks off ATP Challenger Tour in 2021


Welcome to 2021. Following a thrilling finish to a wild and unpredictable 2020 campaign, a new season has dawned on the ATP Challenger Tour. While the initial stages might appear different than in years past, the battle to become the next breakout star remains the same.

In a typical year, the stars of the Challenger circuit would be descending on tropical Noumea and sun-kissed Australia in January. But with the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to impact the world, players are adjusting and adapting to a new setting to kick off their campaigns. This week, snowy Istanbul is the site of the ATP Challenger Tour's opening tournament. The indoor hard courts of the TED Sports Club play host to the Istanbul Indoor Challenger.

View Istanbul Draw

Coming off breakthrough seasons in 2020, #NextGenATP stars Lorenzo Musetti, Brandon Nakashima and Thiago Seyboth Wild enter 2021 looking to take the next step in their bids to crack the Top 100 of the FedEx ATP Rankings. For the trio, the journey to the Next Gen ATP Finals begins in Istanbul.

At World No. 129, 18-year-old Musetti is the youngest player in the field. The Italian was one of the biggest revelations of the 2020 season, winning his maiden Challenger title in Forli, Italy, after stunning four Top 100 players during the week. One of the hottest teens on tour, Musetti will look to carry the momentum to 2021. He opens against Serbia's Danilo Petrovic, with third seed Antoine Hoang looming in his quarter of the draw.

Nakashima, who closed 2020 with a maiden Challenger title in Orlando, faces Turkish No. 1 Cem Ilkel on Tuesday. A potential Orlando final rematch against Prajnesh Gunneswaran awaits in the second round. Nearly one year removed from his breakthrough ATP Tour title in Santiago, Brazil's Seyboth Wild enters the year at No. 118 in the world. Seeded second this week, he opens against Mohamed Safwat in Monday's nightcap.

ATP Challenger Tour

Also competing in Istanbul is front-runner Daniel Elahi Galan, who reached the third round at Roland Garros in October and capped 2020 with a title on the clay of Lima, Peru. He joins Seyboth Wild, Hoang and Argentina's Facundo Bagnis as the Top 4 seeds in the Turkish metropolis. The Colombian opens against a qualifier on Tuesday.

Marc-Andrea Huesler is one of the unseeded players that no one wants to face in Istanbul. The Swiss was the only player to win on multiple surfaces a year ago, prevailing on the outdoor clay of Sibiu, Romania and indoor carpet courts of Ismaning, Germany. One of the hottest players on the planet in the latter months of 2020, Huesler also streaked to the semi-finals at the ATP 250 stop in Kitzbuhel, where he earned his first Top 20 victory over Fabio Fognini. He looms large in a loaded top half of the draw, with Guido Andreozzi his first-round opponent and Bagnis, Nakashima, Gunneswaran and China's Zhang Zhizhen also in his quarter.

One of the ATP Challenger Tour's longtime stalwarts, the city of Istanbul celebrates its 31st consecutive year on the circuit. The TED Sports Club also hosts an annual outdoor hard-court event in September, with future Top 10 stars Nikolay Davydenko (2001), Robin Soderling (2003) and Karen Khachanov (2015) among its past champions. Founded in 1936, the club is both the oldest and largest tennis facility in all of Turkey.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/musetti ... -2021-draw

[Barty]

Brandon Nakashima

Age: 19
Ranking: 166
Country: USA
Career highlights: Second round, 2020 US Open; One ATP Challenger title and two ITF Futures titles
Fun fact: Nakashima graduated high school a semester early and enrolled at Virginia for the spring 2019 semester. Playing for the Cavaliers, he recorded a 17-5 record in singles play and a 20-3 record in doubles. He earned ACC Freshman of the Year honors and was named All-ACC first team. Nakashima turned pro following the season, but credits his brief time in college for helping prepare him for life on tour. "I think playing college matches and getting the experience of living away from home for a long period of time definitely helped me adjust to pro life," he said. "I always wanted to go to college before I turned professional, no matter how well I was doing, so I'm really glad I did that."

Brandon Nakashima, 19, became the youngest quarterfinalist at Delray Beeach in 12 years and advanced to the second round at the 2020 US Open. Danielle Parhizkaran-USA TODAY Sports

Nakashima earned a wild card into his first ATP-level tournament at Delray Beach in February 2020, and he took full advantage of the opportunity. He beat Jiri Vesely and Cameron Norrie in his first two rounds and became the youngest quarterfinalist at the event in 12 years. While disappointed when the season was shut down just weeks later, he was determined to use the break as productively as possible.

"We never knew when the tournaments would start back up again," he said, "but I was out there every day, just trying to get better, so when tournaments came back, I would be ready."

His attitude paid off. He was given a wild card into the US Open when the season resumed, and he won his opening-round match in his major main draw debut against Paolo Lorenzi. He lost in the next round in four sets to eventual finalist Alexander Zverev, but said the tournament experience was invaluable.

"It was so great for me just to get those matches in against those top players," he said. "To win the first round was great for my confidence, as was having a good second round match against a top player. I knew after that tournament that I could compete with all these top guys."

Nakashima finished the season in November with a Challenger title, his first, in Orlando. He celebrated with a round of golf with his coach before coming back to California to train for the new season.

"Winning the tournament was a validation of all of my hard work that I put in during those five months when there were no tournaments and showed how much I was progressing going into the offseason and the new year," he said. "I definitely feel like I'm going in a positive direction and the tournament win gives me a lot of confidence going into the new season."

https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/ ... eescu-more