Brandon Nakashima Shocks Top Seed in Breakthrough Run to ATP Final – Match Highlights & What’s Next

Brandon Nakashima enters the Rolex Shanghai Masters as the No. 29 seed and newest American threat on the Asian swing of the ATP Tour. After a confidence-boosting campaign in Tokyo, the 22-year-old San Diegan arrives in China ranked No. 32 and looking to solidify his place inside the Top 30 ahead of the season-closing Paris Masters and Davis Cup Finals. Recent surge and Tokyo highlights Nakashima’s uptick began last week in Tokyo, where he knocked off two Top-40 opponents before falling to world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz in a tight quarter-final decided by two tie-breaks. The run marked his third ATP quarter-final of 2025 and pushed his season record on hard courts to 26-15, already surpassing last year’s win total. Second-round showdown: Kamil Majchrzak Because all 32 seeds received a first-round bye in Shanghai, Nakashima opens directly in the Round of 64 against Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak on Saturday, 4 October (Stadium Court, not before 12:30 p.m. local time). The pair have never met at tour level, but both favor quick indoor-like conditions. Majchrzak, ranked No. 66, uses an all-court game built on heavy topspin; expect Nakashima to counter with flat, penetrating groundstrokes and one of the most accurate first serves on tour (63 % first-serve percentage, 83 % first-serve points won in 2025). Keys to the match • First-serve dominance: Nakashima averages 10.2 aces per match this season and wins 72 % of short-rally points (0–4 shots). • Return position: Majchrzak’s kick serve lands high in the ad court; Nakashima’s compact two-handed backhand should neutralize the play. • Court positioning: Look for the American to step inside the baseline on second serves, finishing exchanges with his improved forehand that produced 21 winners against Adrian Mannarino in Tokyo. How to watch live In the United States, Tennis Channel and the Tennis Channel Plus app will provide live coverage beginning Friday at 12:30 a.m. ET (9:30 p.m. PT, Friday). International viewers can stream via ATP Tour’s official service, TennisTV. What’s at stake A victory would send Nakashima into a potential third-round clash with either 15th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime or local wild card Shang Juncheng. A quarter-final run would push his ranking inside the Top 25 for the first time, positioning him for a seeded spot at the 2026 Australian Open and keeping him in the hunt for the final berth in the eight-man Next Gen ATP Finals. SEO keywords: Brandon Nakashima, Shanghai Masters 2025, ATP Shanghai, Kamil Majchrzak vs Brandon Nakashima live stream, American tennis rising star, Nakashima ranking, Nakashima match schedule.