Cash protégé Nakashima wins first Challenger title
Brandon Nakashima , who is looked after by ex-Wimbledon champion Pat Cash , won his first tournament on the ATP Challenger Tour in Orlando.
by tennisnet.com
last edit: Nov 25, 2020, 11:45 am
A few weeks ago, Brandon Nakashima arrived in Ismaning with his coach Pat Cash, pretty exhausted, didn't break much at the Challenger there and immediately traveled on to the USA again. In the preceding weeks, the American had made acquaintance with the south of France, and not just on the tennis courts. Coach Cash told in Ismaning that his protégé curled up in their car every time they drove to a bend on the familiar narrow streets. Out of fear.
Maybe that's why things went better in Orlando last week. The streets in Florida are wide, maybe that's why Nakashima came to the local ATP Challenger tournament so relaxed. In any case, the 19-year-old went off the court as the tournament winner. And not only did he not lose a set in the final against Inter Prajnesh Gunneswaran, but in all his matches. Nakashima is the youngest American after Frances Tiafoe, who also won a title as a teenager in 2017.
Alcaraz with three tournament victories in 2020
So Nakashima, who delivered a talent test against Alexander Zverev at this year's US Open, was by far not the youngest winner on the Challenger Tour. The exceptional Spanish talent Carlos Alcaraz, only 17 years old, won three titles, and the Italian Lorenzo Musetti, who won in Forli, is nine months younger than Nakashima. The fourth teenager to win a tournament on the second professional level this season was the Czech Tomas
Machac with his success in Koblenz.
While the ATP tour has already stopped its game operations for 2020 after the ATP Finals, it will continue for two weeks at the Challenger level.