Japan's Kei Nishikori was defeated by compatriot Rei Sakamoto 6-4, 7-6(3) in the third round of U.S. Open qualifying on Friday. The result leaves Nishikori one win short of reaching the main draw of the final Grand Slam of his career, as he has announced that he will retire at the end of this season.
The match was tightly contested, with both Japanese players battling evenly. Despite Nishikori's superior experience and pedigree, he was unable to break down the defensive game of his younger opponent. Sakamoto captured the first set 6-4 and then held firm in the second-set tie-break to seal a straight-sets victory.
It was a disappointing outcome for Nishikori, who reached the U.S. Open final in 2014. He had shown glimpses of his best form in recent outings, but falling in qualifying means his chances of bidding farewell on a major stage in the United States have now officially come to an end.
Meanwhile, Rei Sakamoto, a rising talent in Japanese tennis, continues his quest to make his Grand Slam main-draw debut. He will await the results and opponents in the next rounds.
