Yoshihito Nishioka vs Max Purcell Prediction & Betting Tips - Roland Garros

Prediction published on 31/05/2023, 10:00  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 31/05/2023 at 23:00 in Roland-Garros French Open Prediction

27th seeded Yoshihito Nishioka bids to reach the third round at Roland Garros for the first time. He takes on Max Purcell with the winner up against unseeded opposition in the next round. Either Guido Pella or qualifier Thiago Seyboth Wild (who beat Daniil Medvedev in round one) will be the opposition. Nishioka has only once got past the second round of a Grand Slam. That was earlier ihis year in the hard court Australian Open where he got to the fourth round. The 27-year-old began this tournament ranked 33rd but is up to 29th in the live rankings and that's a career high. The Japanese player hasn't had a great clay court season with two wins and four losses before Roland Garros. The first round of this Grand Slam saw him defeat JJ Wolf but it was a tough match for him.

Max Purcell started this French Open ranked 68th in the world. His first round four-set win over fellow Australian Jordan Thompson has taken him up to 57th in the iive rankings. That's ten places above his previous career high of 67th. The 25-year-old is playing his 16th Grand Slam tournament but this is the first time he's made it past the first round of one. Two previous entries into this tournament have seen him fail to make it to the main draw. Clay court form this year has seen him play only four matches, winning two and losing the others. Noshioka can be backed to get through to the third round.