Kei Nishikori rallied from one set down to beat Pierre Hugues Herbert 3-6 6-1 6-4 after 2 hours and 11 minutes in his debut at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam.
Herbert got the first break at 15 after saving four break points in a 13-minute seventh game. The Frenchman won eight of the next ten points to claim the opening set 6-3.
Nishikori did not convert two break points in a 15-minute second game of the second set. Nishikori claimed his first break on his second opportunity in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead. The Japanese player reeled off five consecutive games from 1-1 to cruise through to winning the second set 6-1. Nishikori broke serve in the third game to take a 2-1 lead with two two consecutive forehand winners and closed out the match at deuce with a backhand unforced error from Herbert after saving three break points.
Nishikori now leads 2-0 in his head-to-head matches against Herbert and has extended his win-loss record to 9-1 this season.
“It was not easy, as he was playing good tennis and serving well. I had a little bit of trouble with my return game and I could not convert the important points. I just tried to play steady, as I wasn’t playing bad, and I tried to stay aggressive”,said Nishikori.
Gael Monfils beat 2017 finalist David Goffin 7-6 (7-5) 7-5 after 1 hour and 46 minutes in a clash between two former Rotterdam finalists.
Goffin went up a break in the first and ninth games of the first set, but Monfils broke straight back twice to draw level to 5-5 before winning the tie-break 7-5. Goffin broke serve in the fourth game to open up a 4-1 lead in the second set, but Monfils recovered by winning six of the next seven games with two breaks of serve in the seventh and eleventh games to clinch the second set 7-5. Monfils will face this year’s Sydney finalist Andreas Seppi. The Frenchman leads 3-2 in his head-to-head matches against the Italian veteran, who claimed the win in their past two head-to-head matches.
Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor stunned Karen Khachanov 3-6 6-3 6-2. Khachanov earned his break point in the second game to claim the first set 6-3. Griekspoor converted his third break point chance in the second game to win the second set 6-3. Griekspoor went up a double break in the first and third game to build up a 4-0 lead. Khachanov saved two break points in the seventh game to hold at deuce for 5-2, as he was serving to stay in the match. Griekspoor served out the win on his first match in the eighth game. Griekspoor will take on either this year’s Montpellier champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga or Italy’s Thomas Fabbiano.
“It’s unbelievable. It’s so nice to play in this court. The evening matches are amazing”, said Griekspoor.
Ernests Gulbis beat Marius Copil 6-2 6-4. Both players did not qualify for the main draw, but they had a second chance to play in Rotterdam as lucky losers. Gulbis dropped just seven points in nine service games and never faced faced a break point. Gulbis converted three of his twelve break points. The Latvian player claimed the first break in the fourth game of the opening set, when Copil made a forehand error. Copil dropped his serve, as he was serving to stay in the set at 2-5. Copil saved three match points at 4-5, before Gulbis closed out the match with a forehand down the line winner. Gulbis will face Nishikori in the second round.
Fernando Verdasco beat Matthew Edben 7-5 6-4 in 86 minutes to secure his spot in the second round, where he will face either Sofia champion Danil Medvedev or Jeremy Chardy.
