By Adrianna Outlaw | Tuesday, July 27, 2021
Kei Nishikori subdued Marcos Giron 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-1 to set up an Olympics round of 16 vs. Belarusian Ilya Ivashka.
Photo credit: International Tennis Federation Facebook
Kei Nishikori restored Japanese joy in Tokyo.
On a day of home anguish that saw second-ranked Naomi Osaka make a tearful Olympic exit following a 6-1, 6-4 loss to Marketa Vondrousova, Nishikori defeated American Marcos Giron 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-1 at Ariaka Tennis Park to advance to the Olympics round of 16.
More: Osaka Talks to Press, Leaves In Tears
The 69th-ranked Nishikori, who opened the tournament toppling seventh-seeded Andrey Rublev, will play Belarusian Ilya Ivashka for a spot in the quarterfinals. Ivashka defeated Mikhail Kukushkin 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-3 on Court No. 7.
No. 3-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas opened play on Centre Court beneath the closed retractable roof sweeping Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 6-4 avenging his straight-sets loss to the American at Wimbledon last month.
Playing with energy and urgency, Tsitsipas dominated with his first serve and forehand.
The 22-year-old Greek, who is entered in the mixed doubles draw alongside compatriot Maria Sakkari, revisited the video of his Wimbledon loss and made the necessary adjustments in this rematch.
“I’m always trying to find to find solutions, find ways to fix my mistakes and get a better outcome—that was the case today,” said Tsitsipas. “I was able to maintain the high levels of concentration and deliver good tennis in moments where I had to.
“It was a very-well balanced game, mentally.”
The Monte-Carlo champion will play Ugo Humbert for a quarterfinal spot. The 14th-seeded Frenchman fought off Miomir Kecmanovic 4-6, 7-6(5), 7-5.
The 28th-ranked Humbert edged Tsitsipas in three tiebreak sets at the Paris Indoors last fall.
"I'm too happy to play [him] again! And I think he does too," Humbert told L'Equipe afterward. "He had said after Bercy that he was looking forward to playing me again. I have not forgotten, I heard it well.
"We had a crazy match in Bercy. It's still going to be a big fight. I know that if I want to win, I'm going to have to play very well. I feel good, anything is possible. I believe in my chances thoroughly."
World No. 143 Liam Broady shocked seventh-seeded Pole Hubert Hurkacz 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 to reach the third round. Broady, a late addition to the British team after British No. 1 Dan Evans and Johanna Konta were forced to withdraw due to Coronavirus, scored his first career Top 20-win. Wimbledon semifinalist Hurkacz and 2020 Roland Garros champion Iga Swiatek, who were two of Poland's top medal contenders, each fell before the round of 16.
Broady will face Frenchman Jeremy Chardy next with the winner taking on either fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev or Nikoloz Basilashvili in the quarterfinals.