On the Comeback Trail Kei Nishikori Takes Down Noah Rubin in First Main Draw Win of 2018
(February 13, 2018) Former world No. 4 Kei Nishikori is on the comeback trail after taking five months off to tend to a right wrist injury. He began his season playing Challenger level events, losing in the first round of Newport Beach, but winning the title in Dallas.
The man from Japan currently ranked 27th on the ATP World Tour played his first tour-level main draw match at the inaugural New York Open in Uniondale, New York on Long Island. His last main tour match was back in August.
The fifth seeded Nishikori took down Long Island native Noah Rubin 7-5, 6-3 in the first round, in the Tuesday evening session at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
“It was a really tough match, he started very well, very aggressive, serving well, so I think he played a little better than me in the first set,” Nishikori said. “But in the second set, I was playing a little better, a little more aggressive and serving better. Everything started to come up for me. But, he was a very tough player.”
It was a tough first round draw for Rubin: “It was a good match and hopefully I’ll build off of it. Playing someone like Kei who has all the experience in the world, I can learn a lot from that. I played some good tennis here and there that my coach and I are going to build off of; I feel like I was moving pretty well. A few points and that’s all it is. Just enjoying myself and happy to be here. Any chance that I can play at the ATP level, that’s where I want to be right now and I know I can be.”
Despite the loss, Rubin was happy to be playing in front of hometown fans: “It was great to have everyone out there and I was worried in the beginning, but my friends came out and family [too]. It was a great atmosphere and I was excited to be at Nassau Coliseum.”
Great to be back on the @ATPWorldTour https://t.co/cBRksHkWPZ
— Kei Nishikori (@keinishikori) February 14, 2018
As for Nishikori, he talked about playing his way back into form and taking the road through Challengers: “It helped me a lot to form my confidence tennis-wise and also a big help for my wrist. I think I played four matches in a row and my wrist was okay. So, that is pretty important for me, right now being physically strong. Tennis, it’s going to take [some] time, so I try to fight slowly every match and hope I can play good tennis next match.”
Nishikori will take on Russia’s Evgeny Donskoy, who defeated Victor Estrella Burgosof the Dominican Republic 7-5, 6-1.
RESULTS – TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2018
Men’s Singles – First Round
[5] K. Nishikori (JPN) def. [WC] N. Rubin (USA) 7-5 6-3
[Q] A. Menendez-Maceiras (ESP) def. [7] S. Johnson (USA) 1-6 6-3 7-6(7)
[Q] E. Escobedo (USA) def. [WC] M. McDonald (USA) 4-6 6-3 7-6(5)
R. Albot (MDA) def. [Q] B. Fratangelo (USA) 6-4 6-3
E. Donskoy (RUS) def. V. Estrella Burgos (DOM) 7-5 6-1
J. Chardy (FRA) def. [Q] S. Travaglia (ITA) 4-6 7-6(1) 6-4
P. Gojowczyk (GER) def. B. Kavcic (SLO) 6-4 6-2
M. Youzhny (RUS) def. M. Ebden (AUS) 3-6 6-3 6-4
Men’s Doubles – First Round
[Alt] R. Albot (MDA) / N. Basilashvili (GEO) def. [3] N. Monroe (USA) / J. Smith (AUS) 7-6(4) 6-4
R. Harrison (USA) / S. Johnson (USA) def. S. Lipsky (USA) / D. Sharan (IND) 7-5 6-3
ORDER OF PLAY – WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2018
STADIUM COURT start 1:00 pm
P. Gojowczyk (GER) vs [4] A. Mannarino (FRA)
[Q] A. Menendez-Maceiras (ESP) vs [Q] S. Travaglia (ITA) or J. Chardy (FRA)
L. Paes (IND) / P. Raja (IND) vs [2] M. Mirnyi (BLR) / P. Oswald (AUT)
Not Before 7:30 pm
[3] J. Isner (USA) vs R. Albot (MDA)
V. Estrella Burgos (DOM) or E. Donskoy (RUS) vs [WC] N. Rubin (USA) or [5] K. Nishikori (JPN)
GRANDSTAND start 1:00 pm
W. Koolhof (NED) / A. Sitak (NZL) vs D. Nestor (CAN) / N. Skupski (GBR)
[WC] D. King (BAR) / F. Tiafoe (USA) vs B. Mclachlan (JPN) / H. Nys (FRA)
Not Before 3:00 pm
M. Ebden (AUS) / D. Young (USA) vs [4] R. Lindstedt (SWE) / F. Skugor (CRO)
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