A-OKei: Nishikori Advances

It’s never easy playing against a friend. Especially one whom you grew up training with and sparring against, whom you’ve shared sushi dinners with, who’s helped you hone your second-language skills. But Kei Nishikori did his best to put those distractions aside on Wednesday at the Australian Open, where the No. 7-seeded Japanese moved into the third round for the sixth straight year with a 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3 win over Austin Krajicek.

In the opening match in Margaret Court Arena, Nishikori, a two-time quarter-finalist and the only Japanese man to reach the elite eight at Melbourne Park in the Open Era, lost just two points on his serve in claiming the first set in a mere 25 minutes.

An untimely forehand error (one of 28 unforced errors for Krajicek on the day) at 15-40 would give Nishikori a service break to open the second set, and the 26-year-old promptly consolidated for an early 2-0 edge. But the left-handed Krajicek — one of eight Americans through to the second round, the most in Melbourne since 2008 — returned the favour to level the set at 5-all and eventually forced a tie-break. But a pair of aces helped the World No. 7 clinch the set.

Nishikori’s third and final break came in the second game of the third set, and he would go on to wrap the win in one hour and 52 minutes. He posted 40 winners, including 13 aces, and won 52 of 63 (83%) first-serve points.

Krajicek, a former Texas A&M standout, was bidding to reach the third round of a major for the first time in his Australian Open debut.