Kei Nishikori Gets over 1st Hurdle in Qualifying at Final U.S. Open as Retirement Looms
NEW YORK — Kei Nishikori, attempting to make the main draw in his last U.S. Open, got over the first hurdle in men’s qualifying with a 6-1, 2-6, 6-2 victory over Austria’s Sebastian Ofner on Tuesday in New York.
In the final U.S. Open, Kei Nishikori successfully navigated the first hurdle of men's qualifying, defeating Austria's Sebastian Ofner with a score of 6-1, 2-6, 6-2 on Tuesday. The 36-year-old Nishikori, who has been battling injuries for years, announced his retirement at the end of the season. He broke Ofner's serve in the first game of the third set and again in the seventh before completing the match in 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Nishikori remarked, "Every match is special," as he concludes his professional career. He will face 16-year-old American Michael Antonius in the next round. To secure a spot in the main draw of the final Grand Slam tournament, participants must win three matches in qualifying. Once ranked as high as No. 4 in the world, Nishikori currently stands at 477th. He was a runner-up at the U.S. Open in 2014 and reached the semifinals in 2016 and 2018.
Written by urgent.news from The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
