Kei Nishikori was forced to work hard for his place in the Australian Open second round, as the Japanese fifth seed came from behind to defeat Russia’ Andrey Kuznetsov 57 61 64 67 62.
This match always had a hint of an upset ever since Nishikori admitted that he was suffering from the effects of a hip injury after his three set defeat to Grigor Dimitrov.
From early in the first set, Kuznetsov set the tone for the match, attacking willingly on the Nishikori serve. Despite failing to break, and sporting only a 55% first serve percentage, Kuznetsov was very comfortable on serve for the most part. It was late in the set that the damage was done. Kuznetsov forced break points with relentlessly aggressive returns landing a few feet from the baseline. Nishikori was on the back foot from the off in the game, and though he saved a break point with an aggressive foray to the net, Kuznetsov was not to be denied the first break, finishing with his own volley to lead.
Nishikori rallied in the second set, wrestling control of the baseline exchanges and limiting Kuznetsov to low percentage winners such as a few backhands up the line. The result was a double break for the Japanese to level the scores at a set apiece. Kuznetsov’s disciplined game plan of the first set collapsed, as his measured returning from the regressed to hacking at every opportune ball, the result being a lot of welcome free points for Nishikori.
In a surprising turn of events given the nature of the second set, Kuznetsov broke first in the third, toning down his wild returning. The result was more balls in play and more errors from Nishikori. The break came from such an error, Kuznetsov attacking the Nishikori backhand with some success. As in the first set though, the Russian surrendered the break immediately, a number of errors allowing the Japanese star back in.
The problems continued for Kuznetsov in his next game, as the errors continued to flow. A double-fault at love-thirty did not help his cause, and Nishikori promptly unloaded on the next point, forcing Kuznetsov to dump a slice into the tramlines to lead for the first time in the match. Nishikori continued to dominate the baseline exchanges, and closed out the set comfortably.
Thus, it was again a surprise when Kuznetsov broke early in the fourth, leading two-love, only to mirror the third set by handing the break straight back to Nishikori. This time Kuznetsov did not crumble, forcing Nishikori into an off-balance forehand to bring up break point, and breaking when Nishikori missed a rallying backhand. The break came straight back once again though, a half-volley miss from Kuznetsov was followed by a forehand into the tramlines and the score was again level in the fourth.
Nishikori was forced to save another break point at three-four, whilst Kuznetsov did well to dig himself out of a fifteen-thirty hole at four-all as neither player could claim a comfortable service hold. Nishikori put heavy pressure on Kuznetsov with a love hold to get to five-all. Kuznetsov also managed a good hold, as the fourth looked headed for a tiebreak.
Kuznetsov got a sniff of break, a tremendous forehand helping him to thirty-all, then an all-in return forehand to deuce. Nishikori got out of it without facing a break point, and a tiebreak beckoned.
Nishikori took the lead in the tiebreak, a short ball from Kuznetsov gave the fifth seed an easy backhand put-away. A backhand slice from Kuznetsov drifted wide as Nishikori put some daylight between himself and the Russian. Kuznetsov battled back to serve for the set at six-five, but Nishikori passed him after forcing a shoelace volley from his opponent. Kuznetsov then had a second set point, this time against the Nishikori serve, and took it when Nishikori could only slice a return into the net.
Nishikori looked deflated between the fourth and fifth sets, but rebounded nicely, breaking at two-one for the advantage in the fifth set, and crucially gained the hold of serve. Kuznetov’s challenge then quickly faded, and Nishikori made sure with the double-break to close out the match.
Nishikori will next face France’s Jeremy Chardy on Wednesday, after the Frenchman was the beneficiary of an early retirement from Spain’s Nicolas Almagro.
