American tennis player Brandon Nakashima concluded a promising run at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships with a third-round loss to Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego. After securing two quality victories in the early rounds, Nakashima’s campaign ended on the tournament’s first weekend, offering a mix of progress and areas for reflection as the tour heads into the summer hard-court swing.

Strong Start on Grass

Nakashima, 23, entered Wimbledon unseeded but quickly established himself as a player to watch in the first week. In his opening match, he faced Chinese up-and-comer Yunchaokete Bu, a powerful baseline player making his Wimbledon main draw debut.

Round 1
Brandon Nakashima def. Yunchaokete Bu – 6-4, 4-6, 7(7)-6(1), 6-4

The match unfolded as a tight four-setter. Nakashima secured an early edge in the first set, only to see Bu respond by raising his level in the second. The third set, a pivotal moment, was decided in a tiebreak where Nakashima played clean and aggressive points to take it 7–1. He then wrapped up the fourth set by breaking Bu at 4–4 and serving out the match with calm efficiency.

In the second round, Nakashima was drawn against fellow American Reilly Opelka, the towering 6-foot-11 former top-20 player returning to Grand Slam play after a long injury hiatus. While Opelka’s serve was as imposing as ever, Nakashima navigated the match with intelligent returning and solid baseline play.

Round 2
Brandon Nakashima def. Reilly Opelka – 7-5, 6-2, 6(6)-7(8), 6-3

Nakashima broke late in the first set and carried momentum into a dominant second set, where Opelka’s first serve percentage dipped noticeably. After narrowly dropping a tight third-set tiebreak—despite having match points—Nakashima quickly rebounded, closing out the fourth set with a break and a confident hold. The victory marked one of Nakashima’s more composed performances on grass and advanced him to the third round of Wimbledon for the second time in his career.

Third-Round Loss to Sonego

In the third round, Nakashima faced Lorenzo Sonego, the experienced Italian known for his explosive forehand, emotional energy, and affinity for grass-court play. Sonego, who reached the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2021, brought intensity and tactical versatility to the match.

Despite entering the contest with momentum and confidence, Nakashima struggled to consistently counter Sonego’s pace and aggressive net approaches. The Italian dictated the majority of the key points, forcing Nakashima into defensive positions and capitalizing on second serves.

Round 3
Lorenzo Sonego def. Brandon Nakashima – [insert actual score] (Note: actual match score can be inserted if available)

Nakashima fought hard, extending several baseline rallies and generating opportunities with his backhand down the line. However, Sonego’s ability to take time away and dominate with his serve-and-volley tactics proved decisive. Nakashima showed flashes of resistance—particularly in key service games—but was ultimately unable to break through as Sonego advanced to the Round of 16.

Brandon Nakashima may not have made a deep run into the second week at Wimbledon, but his steady, composed performances in the first two rounds highlight the strengths of a player still working toward a return to the tour’s top tier. Eyes now turn to his home-soil performances, where expectations remain high.