With as many as 500 points available this week and 1000 at the upcoming Shanghai Rolex Masters, the stretch run to the Nitto ATP Finals is officially underway. Kei Nishikori, who is playing at home in the Japan Open, perhaps stands as the player with the most to gain. Nishikori is currently the second alternate at No. 10 in the race to the year-end championship with 2,565 points, but he is really in better position than No. 9 John Isner because Isner is skipping the Asian swing following the birth of his first child.
The 28-year-old would pass Isner with a title this week and he could move to within 500 points of Kevin Anderson, who currently occupies the eighth and final place. His effort got off to a strong start on Monday, when he ousted countryman Yuichi Sugita 6-4, 6-1.
“It’s never easy playing a friend, especially in Japan,” Nishikori noted. “I think we both don’t want to play each other, but I think I handled it well. I felt a little pressure in the beginning, but I started feeling better in the second set. Overall I was happy with my tennis today. First set I was maybe tight and I was missing a little too early. But in the second set I started getting the rhythm back and started playing better. So I’m happy with my tennis, especially in the second set.”
Up next for Nishikori during second-round action on Wednesday is Benoit Paire, who beat Nicolas Jarry 6-4, 7-6(1). Nishikori leads the head-to-head series 4-2, but Paire won their only previous Tokyo encounter 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the 2015 semifinals.
“He’s a very talented player,” Japan’s top player said of the Frenchman. “Great backhand, one of the best backhands on the tour and a good serve. It’s never easy playing Benoit, so it’s going to be a tough one.”
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Nishi-Paire could be good