Atlanta ATP Finals Prediction: Nishioka vs Thompson

The tennis world’s attention is mostly on the Olympics, but the ATP Open finals in Atlanta should be entertaining on Sunday. Jordan Thompson takes on Yoshihito Nishoka, both of whom have returned to form this week. Who do you think will come out on top?

Atlanta ATP Finals Prediction

Jordan Thompson vs. Yoshihito Nishoka

Face-to-face: Nishioka 5-1

Yoshihito Nishioka has suffered a free fall in the rankings this year, but now he has a chance to return to the top 50. His victory over Frances Tiafoe in the quarter-finals was particularly vital, the first time the Japanese has eliminated a top 30 player this year.

Jordan Thompson’s progress over the years has been fantastic to watch, culminating in his first ATP Tour title in Los Cabos earlier this year. Since then, he’s lost some of his edge, and like Nishioka, it’s only this week that he’s really started to get back into form.

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That massive head-to-head advantage is a factor that can’t be underestimated. While Thompson is much better these days than he was in most of their matches, the fact remains that he would prefer to face a left-hander whose style of play more closely resembles that of his semi-final opponent, Juncheng Shang. The more aggressive Chinese player gave Thompson his all and usually ended up making the mistake due to his opponent’s excellent grinding abilities.

Here, the Australian will likely need to exploit his serve advantage over Nishioka to win. But the 28-year-old has been excellent at outwitting bigger players all week. If he can use the left-handed spin to neutralize his opponent’s ability to attack and rush the net, he might be able to extend his head-to-head advantage even further. After all, even with all the improvements he’s made, it’s not so easy for Thompson to get the upper hand with his forehand when the ball is deep and has spin.
Prediction: Nishioka in 3

Main photo credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports