US Open 2015: Kei Nishikori out after a shock defeat to Benoit Paire
Monday 31 August 2015 22:44, UK
Kei Nishikori suffered a shock exit on day one of the US Open after losing to Frenchman Benoit Paire in five sets.
The fourth seed reached the final at Flushing Meadows last year but he fell to Paire at the first hurdle this time around, being beaten 6-4 3-6 4-6 7-6 (8-6) 6-4.
The 26-year-old Paire collected his maiden ATP Tour title last month in Bastad and he brought his good form to New York to grind out a victory in three hours and 14 minutes.
It is the first time the world No 41 has defeated an opponent ranked in the top five.
Japan's Nishikori withdrew from the hard-court warm-up at Cincinnati because of a hip injury but said he was fine physically on Saturday.
He had looked ready to survive the opening test, coming back from a wobbly opening set, but appeared sluggish late in the match.
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Paire saved two match points in the fourth-set tiebreaker before winning it and then carried that momentum into the fifth set.
He recorded the decisive break to go up 3-2 before finishing off Nishikori with a thundering ace.
Nishikori turned in a marathon effort in New York last year, recording five set wins over Milos Raonic and Stan Wawrinka, as well as a four set victory over world No 1 Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals, before he eventually lost to Marin Cilic in the final.
It is the first time since 1999 that a US Open men's finalist lost in the first round the following year.
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