Share

Nishikori survives scare in Tokyo

Cape Town - Kei Nishikori was given a surprisingly stern test by Donald Young in his opening match of the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships 2016 on Monday.

The tournament top seed, playing his first competitive match since going down to Stan Wawrinka in the US Open semi-finals, gave his home fans at the Ariake Coliseum an almighty scare after dropping the first set against his American opponent, who entered the tournament as a late substitute for an unfit Nicolas Almagro.

After looking rock solid in the early running, Young surprised all and sundry by earning two set points on Nishikori's serve in game 10, clinching the first to take a one-set lead.

It needed a swift response from the Japanese star, and he was able to provide it with a double-break in games three and five to race through the second set and level the scores.

It was a similar story in the decider, as Nishikori claimed successive breaks in the fifth and seventh games to wrap up what turned out to be a pretty comfortable 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 victory in the end.

After the game, Nishikori admitted that he was a little bit rusty at first following several weeks off.

“I wasn't hitting enough topspin, and he was playing well. He was in the mood to attack and to come in, and he made all his shots,” he said. “It's been a while since I played singles, so I needed some time to get back into the rhythm.”

Also advancing to the second round on Monday was fourth seed Marin Cilic.

The Croatian was up against Benoit Paire of France, and overcame a second-set blip to seal a 6-0, 4-6, 6-3 win.

Only two other first-round matches were played on the day, resulting in victories for Portugal's Joao Sousa and Spaniard Fernando Verdasco.

Sousa defeated Martin Klizan 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, while Verdasco dispatched local player Go Soeda 6-7 (2-7), 6-3, 6-3. 

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1472 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2250 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE