David Nalbandian outplays Kei Nishikori in first round – Western & Southern Open 2011
Former world number 3 David Nalbandian of Argentina ousted world number 52 Kei Nishikori of Japan in straight sets 6-4, 6-4 in the opening round at the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati, Ohio on Monday. The Argentinean took
an hour and 36 minutes to undo his opponent.
Nalbandian and the Japanese won their serve in the first six games of the opening set to tie the score at 3-3. The Argentinean made the breakthrough as he broke Nishikori in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead but he failed to
consolidate on the break of serve, losing his own serve in the next game to level the score at 4-4. Nalbandian, however, did not get disappointed and broke again in the ninth game to go ahead 5-4. The Argentinean served out the set in the next game, claiming
it 6-4.
The 66th ranked gave a horrible second service performance, committing six double faults and clinching just eight of the eighteen second service points in the first set. Nalbandian made the difference with his first
serve and first return performance, grabbing 83 percent and 31 percent of the points on them respectively in the opening set.
In the second set, the Argentinean took the lead straightaway, breaking Nishikori in the opening game and winning his nest service game to grab a 2-0 lead. Nalbandian sustained the lead throughout the set, winning all of his service
games to claim the set 6-4.
The five feet and eleven inches tall bagged fourteen of the eighteen first service points and seven of the eleven second service points in the second set. The Argentinean sealed seven of the sixteen points on the first return and
converted one of the seven break points he received on Nishikori’s serve in the second set.
Nalbandian improved his win/loss record to 8-6 at the Western and Southern Open. The Argentinean is featuring in Cincinnati for the seventh year. The right-handed was beaten by Jarkko Nieminen of Finland in three sets 6-3, 3-6,
4-6 in the first round in his maiden appearance here in 2002. Nalbandian gave his best performance in 2003. He upset the then world number 2 Roger Federer of Switzerland in straight sets 7-6(4), 7-6(5) in the second round. The Argentinean reached the quarterfinals,
losing to American Mardy Fish in straight sets 6-7(3), 3-6. In his latest appearance here, Nalbandian was defeated by Novak Djokovic of Serbia in straight sets 1-6, 6-7(7) in the round of 16 last year.
The Argentinean will take on world number 4 Andy Murray of Great Britain in the second round.
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