Nishikori Rolls in Acapulco Opener

February 23, 2016 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
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Photo Credit: Brian Coleman

Kei Nishikori cruised into the second round of the Abierto Mexicano Telcel in Acapulco, Mexico on Monday, moving past Thiemo de Bakker of the Netherlands 6-0, 6-3 in less than an hour.

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

The second-seed Nishikori dominated the opener. He won 65 percent of the points on de Bakker’s serve to give himself eight break points, converting on three of them.

In the second set, Nishikori continued his defensive wizardry from the baseline, converting on three of four break points to advance smoothly.

“I’m aiming for the final again,” said Nishikori, who as the top seed a year ago fell to David Ferrer in the final. “That’s the goal for the week.”

Up next for Nishikori is the winner of American Sam Querrey and Israel’s Dudi Sela.

American Donald Young got off to a winning start in Acapulco with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Luxembourg’s Gilles Muller.

Young secured the only break of the first set, and despite being broken once in the second frame, he was perfect on his first serve in that second set, and was able to break Muller twice to move through in straight sets.

In the second round, Young will take on the winner of seventh-seed Grigor Dimitrov and American Denis Kudla.

Ukraine’s Illya Marchenko ousted American qualifier Tommy Paul 6-2, 7-6(4) to book his spot in the second round and into a matchup with the winner of third-seed Marin Cilic and American qualifier Ryan Harrison.

Robin Haase, Adrian Mannarino and Victor Estrella Burgos rounded out the Monday winners in Acapulco.

 


Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
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