Kei Nishikori overcame a stiff challenge from an emotional Nick Kyrgios to advance to the third round of the Shanghai Masters with a 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 win on Wednesday.
After winning the first set in 30 minutes, Kyrgios began to unravel at the end of the second set when he smacked a ball in frustration toward the baseline, causing a line judge to bend to avoid being hit.
The Australian was assessed a code violation and dropped his serve at love, losing the set. Kyrgios then saved three match points in the third set before Nishikori finally closed it out.
Kyrgios was already fined $1,500 for an “audible obscenity” in his first-round match in Shanghai. He faces a 28-day suspension from the ATP tour if he reaches $5,000 in fines before February after being placed on probation for making derogatory comments to Stan Wawrinka during a match in Montreal in August.
“I didn’t think I behaved bad at all out there today,” Kyrgios said after Wednesday’s loss. “I thought I was good mentally. I showed emotion, but at the same time I played great.”
In other matches, Andy Murray overcame five double faults to defeat Steve Johnson of the United States 6-2, 6-4, and Australia’s Bernard Tomic saved eight of nine break points he faced to upset seventh-seeded David Ferrer of Spain 6-4, 6-2.
Tomic said he’s feeling increasingly more confident than he was at the start of the year when his ranking dipped into the 70s.
Fifth-seeded Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic also advanced with a 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-4 win over Jack Sock of the United States, No. 13-seeded John Isner of the United States defeated Belgium’s David Goffin 6-3, 7-6 (5), and No. 12 Kevin Anderson beat Fabio Fognini of Italy 6-3, 7-6 (1).
World No.1 Novak Djokovic had an easy outing in the second round by beating Slovakia’s Martin Klizan 6-2, 6-1. While, former World No.1 Rafael Nadal survived a grueling contest against Ivo Karlovic 7-5, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4).
Anderson pulls out of CTl
New Delhi: South African Kevin Anderson, who reached US Open quarterfinals this year and also cracked the top-10, has pulled out of the upcoming Champins Tennis league (CTl) citing personal reasons. Anderson, who had played for Delhi Dreams in the inaugural editin in 2014, was to play for Raipur Rangers, the new entrants in league this season.