#NextGenATP Nakashima Maintains Strong Los Cabos Record

#NextGenATP American Brandon Nakashima continued his love affair with the Abierto de Tenis Mifel on Tuesday, moving past Japanese qualifier Kaichi Uchida 7-6(1), 6-2 to reach the second round in Los Cabos.

The 20-year-old enjoyed a run to his maiden tour-level final in Mexico last year and quickly looked at home at the ATP 250 event against Uchida, pulling the World No. 175 around the court with his explosive hitting to advance after one hour and 56 minutes.

Nakashima, currently seventh in the Pepperstone ATP Race To Milan, now holds a 7-0 record against players outside of the Top 100 this season. The World No. 61, who is aiming to win his maiden tour-level title this week, will next play Australian qualifier Max Purcell.

Mexican wild card Alex Hernandez overcame Colombian lucky loser Nicolas Barrientos 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 to capture his first tour-level win.

The 23-year-old, who lost in the first round on debut in Acapulco in February, is the first Mexican player to win a singles match in Los Cabos, improving the overall record to 1-7. The World No. 521 will next face second-seeded Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime.

Spaniard Radu Albot downed Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-3 to improve his strong record at the hard-court event. The 32-year-old, who advanced to the semi-finals on debut in 2019, will meet Jason Kubler in the second round after the Australian defeated eighth seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-1 in their first ATP Head2Head meeting.

Australian Jordan Thompson eliminated Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann 6-3, 6-0 to set a second-round clash against fourth seed Miomir Kecmanovic, while Facundo Bagnis defeated American Ernesto Escobedo 6-3, 6-1.

The Argentine, who is up to No. 103 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings, will take on Ricardas Berankis in the second round.