Nishikori Gets Tricky Draw In Tokyo

Kei Nishikori, a two-time champion in Tokyo, will face an experienced opponent in the first round of the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships 2016. The 2012 and 2014 winner will take on Nicolas Almagro, a Spaniard who reached No. 9 in the Emirates ATP Rankings in 2011 and beat Nishikori 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-3 in the Tokyo quarter-finals in 2013.

A deep run in Tokyo will help the Japanese star’s qualification bid for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, but first he will need to work his way through a difficult section of the draw. David Goffin and Kevin Anderson are possible quarter-final opponents, while a meeting with Marin Cilic, who topped Nishikori in the 2014 US Open final, could occur in the semis. Winning the Tokyo title for the third time will go a long way in ensuring a third straight year-end championship appearance for Nishikori.

Gael Monfils, who sits one spot behind Nishikori at No. 6 in the Emirates ATP Race To London, will kick off his Tokyo campaign against home favourite Yuichi Sugita while No. 3 seed Tomas Berdych will meet fellow big hitter Gilles Muller. #NextGen stars Nick Kyrgios and Taylor Fritz drew qualifiers for their first-round matches.

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