Libema Open 2022 Picks and In-Depth Analysis (Archive)
The play in ‘s-Hertogenbosch continues as the grass-court season is gaining momentum. Some players are having trouble making the adjustment from the slow clay to the quicker grass, other players have switched gears without missing a beat.
After seeing some great performances and shocking upsets yesterday, let’s take a look at a match today to give out another winning tennis pick.
Brandon Nakashima vs. Adrian Mannarino
Friday, June 10, 2022 – 06:30 AM EDT at Court 1
Brandon Nakashima: Player Profile
Brandon Nakashima is a 20-year-old American ranked number 64 in the world. Nakashima has played well so far in this grass tournament. Nakashima has beaten 2 fellow Americans, Tommy Paul and Sam Querrey. Both matches were appropriate measuring sticks for Brandon Nakashima
Nakashima vs. Paul
- Tommy Paul is 5 years older than Nakashima and is ranked 25 spots ahead of Nakashima.
- The match went to three sets with each set going to a tiebreak.
- Nakashima's ability to win the clutch points with everything on the line was encouraging for his prospects to finish the season strong.
Nakashima vs. Querrey
- Brandon Nakashima continued his tiebreak dominance by defeating Sam Querrey.
- Brandon Nakashima once again won the clutch points against the veteran Querrey, who at age 34 is nearing the end of his career.
- Still, Querrey is a respected veteran, and for Nakashima to get this win over another American proves that we need to keep an eye on him for the remainder of this grass-court season.
Brandon Nakashima is 11-12 on the year. He has a hold percentage of 80.6% with a break percentage of 17.9% on the year. For his career on grass, Brandon Nakashima is 2-2, as well as a hold percentage of 85% and a break percentage of 10.3%.
Adrian Mannarino: Player Profile
Adrian Mannarino is the definition of a grizzled veteran. Mannarino is a 33-year-old French player ranked number 70 in the world. He is known for the amount of fighting spirit he shows on the court. Mannarino has become famous for his willingness to grind out points, no matter how long a match takes.
Mannarino will definitely put his opponent's fitness to the test. He is not the most talented player, but he never shows up out of shape, and never gets down on himself regardless of the scoreline. Mannarino is a living example that effort and hard work can lead to success, even if you were not born the most talented individual.
The French athlete is 12-13 on the year. Mannarino has a hold percentage of 79.7% with a break percentage of 20.7% on the year. For his career on grass, a hold percentage of 80.4%, and a break percentage of 21.6%.
Adrian Mannarino's Libema Open Performance
- Mannarino has not lost a set here so far at 's-Hertogenbosch.
- Mannarino looked excellent against world number 22 Alex de Minaur in his second-round match, winning 6-2, 6-3.
- While Mannarino might have been overlooked coming into this tournament, his results so far reflect that he is properly prepared for it.
Player Comparison
Let's take a look at how these two men will match up when they take the court:
Serve
- While neither man has the biggest serve, Nakashima definitely has the advantage in his service games.
- Nakashima can hit with a little bit more power and both men are equally adept at service placement.
Groundstrokes
- Brandon Nakashima has more aggressive groundstrokes.
- Nakashima is more likely to hit winners, especially off his forehand side.
- Nakashima does play respectable defense, but at the end of the day, he is built in the American “serve and forehand” mold.
Defense
- Adrian Mannarino is the better defensive player.
- Mannarino can turn into a wall when need be and even at age 33, his court coverage is excellent.
- In longer rallies, Mannarino will have the advantage.
Fitness
- Adrian Mannarino has the better fitness.
- Mannarino approaches the sport the way a triathlete would.
- Mannarino rarely shows signs of fatigue and is able to keep his level throughout a long match.
Nakashima vs. Mannarino: Betting Pick and Prediction
Following the ATP odds, the best bet is Brandon Nakashima ML. Adrian Mannarino does have the advantages in defense and fitness, but defense and fitness are not what a grass court requires. On a grass court, the power and aggressiveness that Nakashima employs are the most advantageous strategies.
Nakashima has the defensive abilities to withstand Mannarino’s ability to grind him out. He will be comfortable if Mannarino tries to turn this into a long grueling match. The American has the rally tolerance to withstand an assault on his fitness by Mannarino.
Normally, I like to lay the games when taking an ATP favorite of the best sportsbooks, but today I will simply go with the moneyline. At a -1 game spread, we might push in another three-set tiebreak affair as Nakashima played in his first two matches.
ATP Pick: Brandon Nakashima ML (-139) at Bovada (visit our Bovada Review)
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.