By Tennis Now | Monday, September 14, 2020
On a day in which some seeds scattered in Rome, Kei Nishikori and Jannik Sinner each made strong stands with Nishikori scoring his first win of 2020.
Photo credit: Internazionali BNL d’Italia Instagram
On a day in which some seeds scattered, Kei Nishikori and Jannik Sinner each made strong stands.
Nishikori converted his sixth match point subduing Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-4, 7-6(3) scoring his first win of the 2020 season.
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The 30-year-old Nishikori, who missed the start of the season with a right elbow injury and was forced out of the US Open after testing positive for COVID-19, played with a sleeve over his right elbow while showing his skill on the counter strike.
The left-handed Spaniard saved nine of 10 break points in the match. Nishikori scored his lone break to seize the opening set.
On his sixth match point, Nishikori's drive collided with the top of the tape and dribbled over ending a two hour, three-minute victory.
It was Nishikori's first Tour-level win since he beat Bradley Klahn in the second round of the 2019 US Open.
The 2016 Rome semifinalist will play either 10th-seeded Swiss Stan Wawrinka or Italian qualifier Lorenzo Musetti in round two.
Italian wild card Sinner converted all four of his break-point chances sweeping an ornery Benoit Paire 6-2, 6-1.
The 19-year-old Sinner, who John McEnroe has called a potential Top 5 player, avenged his Auckland loss to Paire dominating the distracted Frenchman. Sinner advanced to a highly-anticipated second-round clash vs. third-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas.
It was a tough day for seeds.
Casper Ruud repelled 11th-seeded Karen Khachanov 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. Ruud reeled off the final three games to set up a second-round meeting with Italian Lorenzo Sonego.
Fresh off his US Open quarterfinal run, Borna Coric beat No. 14-seeded Cristian Garin 6-4, 6-4. Coric exploited 11 double faults converting five of 13 break-point opportunities.
Filip Krajinovic conquered 16th-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 7-5 moving into a second-round meeting vs. either Kyle Edmund or Italian qualifier Marco Cecchinato.