Nishikori Through In A Canter

Kei Nishikori’s 2016 Abierto Mexicano Telcel campaign is off to a flying start with the No. 2 seed cruising past Dutch qualifier Thiemo de Bakker 6-0, 6-3 in the opening round on Monday night. Fresh from a fourth Memphis Open title, the World No. 6 in the Emirates ATP Rankings needed just under an hour to see his way past his 27-year-old opponent in Acapulco.

“I’m very happy with my tennis today. I started really well,” Nishikori said. “He was missing a lot in those first few games but at the same time I was playing good tennis. The second set, he was a little tight.”

Last year the Japanese player fell as the top seed to second-seeded David Ferrer in the final. This year, their seedings are reversed with Nishikori hoping for a reverse in fortunes.

“I’m aiming for the final again, that’s the goal for this week,” he said. “I never think about pressure from seeds or whatever. I didn’t even remember I was first seed last year.”

In a promising sign for the 26 year old, however, he said he was a better player than at this time last season. “Yeah I think so.  I’ve been playing good tennis in Australia and won Memphis again – four years in a row, that’s something I’ve never done before,” Nishikori said. 

“That’s given me a lot more confidence and I think I’m a little more patient and more consistent. I’m still being aggressive, too, so I’m pretty sure I’m better than last year.”

Against the World No. 105, Nishikori started on fire, reeling off the first set without the loss of a game on his third set point. De Bakker stemmed the flow of games against him, holding serve to open the second set, before Nishikori inched closer with a break for 4-3. He would save himself having to serve it out, landing a sixth break of the match for 6-3 when the Dutchman was serving to stay in the tournament.

De Baker’s countryman and doubles partner for this year’s event, Robin Haase, was more fortunate. Haase had a straight-forward 6-1, 6-2 win over Mexican wild card Luis Patino. Another Mexican wild card, Tigre Hank, fell by the same scoreline against Adrian Mannarino. The French lefty scored the comprehensive victory over the home hopeful, converting all three of his break points along the way.

Ukraine’s Illya Marchenko took down American qualifier Tommy Paul 6-2, 7-6(4), while Donald Young avenged a loss to Gilles Muller in Atlanta last year with a 6-3, 6-3 result.