Cincinnati Open 2025: Brandon Nakashima vs Alexander Blockx preview, head-to-head, odds, prediction, and pick

Match Details

Fixture: (27) Brandon Nakashima vs (Q) Alexander Blockx

Date: August 10, 2025

Tournament: Cincinnati Open

Round: Second Round (Round of 64)

Venue: Lindner Family Tennis Center, Mason, Ohio, USA

Category: ATP Masters 1000

Surface: Hard

Prize Money: $9,139,540

Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN

Brandon Nakashima vs Alexander Blockx preview

Nakashima in action at the 2025 Citi DC Open (Image Source: Getty)

27th-seed Brandon Nakashima will take on qualifier Alexander Blockx in the second round of the 2025 Cincinnati Open on Sunday, August 10. The winner will meet Alexander Zverev or Nishesh Basavareddy in the third round.

Nakashima's performance on hardcourts this season started on a weak note, registering just one win in his first five matches. He then bounced back, reaching the Delray Beach Open quarterfinals and the Mexican Open semifinals.

Nakashima commenced his North American hardcourt swing at the Citi DC Open, where he suffered a quarterfinal exit. At the Canadian Open, the American lost to eventual champion Ben Shelton in a hard-fought third-round encounter. He received a first-round bye in Cincinnati.

Meanwhile, Blockx has mainly played in Challenger tournaments this year. His only main tour hardcourt outings before the Cincinnati Open were at the Miami Open and the Canadian Open. He was winless in both tournaments.

After making it through the qualifiers, Blockx faced Marcos Giron in the Cincinnati Open first round. He earned a couple of breaks to take the lead in the first set. Despite losing the second set, the Belgian fought back to win a crucial break at 4-3 in the decider and held his serve to win the match 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

Brandon Nakashima vs Alexander Blockx head-to-head

Both players are yet to play each other on the main tour. However, they have met once on the Challenger Circuit, at the 2023 Danderyd Challenger, where Nakashima defeated Blockx, 6-1, 6-2.

Brandon Nakashima vs Alexander Blockx odds

Player Name	Moneyline	Handicap Bets	Total Games
Brandon Nakashima	-300	+1.5 (-900)	Over 22.5 (-110)
Alexander Blockx	+225	-1.5 (+425)	Under 22.5 (-135)

(Odds are sourced from BetMGM.)

Brandon Nakashima vs Alexander Blockx prediction

Blockx at the 2025 Libema Open (Image Source: Getty)

Nakashima has a 13-10 win-loss record on hardcourts in 2025. Except for the initial few tournaments, the American has not faced much trouble getting through the early rounds. He reached the third round of the Masters 1000 tournament last time around.

Blockx has had limited game time on the main tour this year, with his win over Giron being his first of the season. Although the Belgian was promising during the qualifiers and the first round, it will be an uphill task for him to overcome a seeded player with adequate experience on the main tour.

Nakashima is the clear favorite in this second-round fixture. His solid baseline game and skill on hardcourts will get him through this match without much trouble. He also has the head-to-head advantage over his opponent.

Pick: Nakashima to win in straight sets.

About the author

Gautham's passion for tennis paved his path to a career in journalism at Sportskeeda, where he has been working for almost two years. Before joining the company, he sharpened his writing skills at The Bridge, covering football as a journalist.

With over 700 articles under his belt at Sportskeeda already, Gautham continues to deliver top-notch articles that cater to readers' interests. Before sharing his insights, he diligently cross-references information from various sources and stays updated by following key figures on social media, always striving to cater to readers' interests.

His ultimate goal is to earn the respect of his colleagues and retire with pride, akin to his idol Roger Federer. While his admiration for the 'Swiss Maestro' is unshakeable, he recognizes Novak Djokovic as the GOAT and believes that the Serb's records speak for themselves.

He is known for his strong opinions, including his firm belief that certain aspects of tennis, like let, should be reconsidered or removed altogether. When he's away from his keyboard, Gautham finds comfort in playing football, reading books, and listening to music.

Know More

Edited by Mitali