Kei Nishikori wins over Teymuraz Gabashvili in opener – Malaysian Open 2011
Kei Nishikori, the 21-year-old world No.54, played his 1st round match of the 2011 Malaysian Open on Tuesday, 27th September, against Teymuraz Gabashvili at the Putra Stadium, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur. Battling
out for two hours and eleven minutes, Japanese young gun outstood his Russian counterpart beating him 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 to move on to the 2nd round of the ATP Tour 250 event.
With their third meeting underway, Nishikori had a better position as he had a perfect prior 10 match run, 8 wins 2 losses. Winning the opening round the Japanese took the lead in the head-to-head score leading 2-1. The only similarity
the two had been that both were core hard circuit performers.
The pair walked onto the hard indoor court with a handful of spectators filing up the stands. Winning the service toss, the 21-year-old went on serving out the opening game of the match and starting up with a usual slow 1-0 start.
Hitting a cross-court winner, Gabashvili levelled up the scores instantly and ignited as he broke Nishikori next, 1-2.
Failing to seize an advantage, the Russian went down straight in the next set losing a breakpoint and levelling up the scores, 2-2. With two games win each the two once again stood equal, with Nishikori to serve next at 3-3. The
world number 54 went down stumbling in the first set as the Russian went on bombing the 21-year-old with a break-serve-break tactic and took out the set, 6-3.
With a 1-0 lead in the match, Gabashvili served out the first game of the second set, followed up with the Japanese levelling the scores instantly, 1-1. The 26-year-old repeated the first set technique, serve-n-break, to grab a
3-1 lead, however, could not retain and dropped down next.
Nishikori reacted with twice the power, break-n-serving twice, he led the set 5-3. Cutting down the lead to 5-4 the Russian did push back in the set, however, could not break back to save a loss, 4-6.
Standing now at equal in the match, 1-1, Nishikori had the betting odds turning towards him. The 21-year-old broke Gabashvili thrice in the decider. The Russian served the first set hopping to give a tough fight, however, came
down crashing losing his first breakpoint, 1-0.
Winning game 2, Nishikori broke the 26-year-old for the second time winning game 3 and served out game 4 to lead the set 4-0. Gabashvili did win a game after that but just one game. Serve-n-breaking next, the Japanese blew up the
Russians defences with a startling ending with a down-the-line backhand breakpoint winner.
Winning the match 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, Nishikori now sits in the second round of the ATP Tour 250 event to play the German tank, Philipp Petzschner for a spot in the quarterfinal.
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