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Match Details
Fixture: (7) Jack Draper vs (WC) Kei Nishikori
Date: October 22, 2024
Tournament: Erste Bank Open 2024
Round: First Round (Round of 32)
Venue: Wiener Stadthalle, Vienna, Austria
Category: ATP 500
Surface: Hard (Indoor)
Prize Money: €2,470,310
Live Telecast: US - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN
Jack Draper vs Kei Nishikori preview
Seventh seed Jack Draper will square off against former US Open finalist Kei Nishikori in the first round of the Erste Bank Open 2024.
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Draper started the season with yet another runner-up finish, this time at the Adelaide International. His next best result was at the Mexican Open, though he had to retire in the semifinals due to an injury. After a tough few months, the Brit stormed to his maiden ATP title in Stuttgart at the start of the grass swing.
Draper then upset Carlos Alcaraz en route to the last eight at the Cinch Championships. However, he crashed out in the second round of Wimbledon. He used the momentum from his quarterfinal finish at the Cincinnati Open to reach his first Major semifinal at the US Open.
The Brit has struggled since his run in New York. He lost both of his singles ties at the Davis Cup, going down to Felix Auger-Aliassime and Francisco Cerundolo. While he did reach the quarterfinals in Tokyo, an injury forced him to abandon his match halfway through the second set.
Nishikori's comeback this year has been punctured with recurring injury breaks. A quarterfinal finish at the Canadian Open has been the highlight of his season so far. He also made the last eight in Tokyo, and more recently lost in the second round of the Shanghai Masters.
Jack Draper vs Kei Nishikori head-to-head
Draper leads Nishikori 1-0 in the head-to-head. He won their previous encounter at this year's Paris Olympics in straight sets.
Jack Draper vs Kei Nishikori odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Jack Draper vs Kei Nishikori prediction
Draper has generally played at a pretty high level this year, though his body has betrayed him from time to time. That has also been the story of Nishikori's season thus far, and with frequent timeouts to heal himself, he has managed to compile an 8-8 record this year.
Draper, on the other hand, has a 32-21 record for the season, and 19 of those wins have come on hardcourts. He didn't break a sweat when he faced off against Nishikori at the Paris Olympics a few months ago.
The Brit needed a little over an hour to dispatch his older rival, and saved all four break points that he faced. If Draper was able to beat him on clay, his weakest surface, then he should be able to deal with Nishikori on hardcourts as well.
Pick: Jack Draper to win in straight sets.
