Kei Nishikori reacts to Hurlingham win over Lucas Pouille
Japanese tennis ace Kei Nishikori was satisfied with his first grass-court performance of the season as he beat France's Lucas Pouille 7-5 7-6 (4) at the Hurlingham exhibition.
The Japanese failed to serve out for the first set in the 10th game but broke Pouille in the following game to take a 6-5 lead before successfully serving out for the set.
The 29-year-old then recovered from a break down in the second set to force a tie-break, which he won to seal a straight-set win.
"I was able to get a good feel, swing through and hit good shots today. I need to keep some important factors in mind, like the first serve percentage, to play well. I felt good on grass last year. if I can repeat that and play with confidence I'll have a good opportunity," Nishikori said, per Tennis 365.
Nishikori was expected to start his grass season in Halle but he withdrew from the tournament.
"My right arm was pretty much fine. It was not a severe injury, I just needed to rest and wait for the inflammation to subside," Nishikori said.
"I wanted to play Halle, but I was worn out after long stay in Europe, so it was nice to have a rest and refresh myself."
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2XeCQwt
No comments