Flavio Cobolli 🇮🇹 vs. Yoshihito Nishioka 🇯🇵

🎾 ATP Washington 2025 – Round of 32 Preview

Flavio Cobolli 🇮🇹 vs. Yoshihito Nishioka 🇯🇵

📍 Washington, D.C. | 🗓️ July 24 | 🎾 Hard (Outdoor)

🧠 Form & Context

Flavio Cobolli
🌟 Breakthrough season: The 22-year-old Italian has cracked the top 20 thanks to finals in Bucharest, Hamburg, and last year's runner-up finish in Washington.
🧱 Hard-court learning curve: His 4–8 record this year doesn’t tell the whole story—he’s been gaining confidence, especially after a run to the Wimbledon quarterfinals.
🎾 Solid opener: Dispatched Félix Auger-Aliassime in a tight but composed win. Looks locked in to defend valuable ATP 500 points.

Yoshihito Nishioka
🩹 Fighting through setbacks: The Japanese lefty has battled injuries all year, but showed resilience in a gritty three-set win over Brooksby in R1.
📉 Interrupted rhythm: Shoulder and leg issues, plus several mid-match retirements, have derailed his 2025 campaign (just 4 hard-court wins all year).
🔄 Still tricky: At full health, he’s a tough customer—quick, consistent, and crafty with his pace control and angles.

🔍 Match Breakdown

This is a rubber match in their head-to-head (1–1), with both prior meetings ending in one-sided wins—Cobolli in Miami, Nishioka in Los Cabos. Expect the winner to again take control early and ride the momentum.

Cobolli has the firepower and recent form edge. His serve has improved, and he now wins more quick points, especially on faster courts. But if his concentration dips, Nishioka’s relentless retrieving and tempo disruption can make things uncomfortable.

The deciding factor could be physical durability. Cobolli looks fresh and confident. Nishioka? It’s always a coin toss lately. If this turns into a baseline war, Nishioka’s odds rise—but if Cobolli stays proactive, it likely won’t reach that point.

🔮 Prediction

Prediction: Cobolli in 2 sets — Too much confidence, better recent form, and fewer physical question marks tip the balance toward the Italian.