Nishikori Leads Stacked Draw In Scenic Newport Beach
21 January 2018 11:10
Last week, Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka kicked off their comebacks at the Australian Open, with both returning to action after extended injury absences in 2017. Now, it's time for another former Top 5 star to begin his climb back up the ATP Rankings.
In one of the most highly anticipated ATP Challenger Tour appearances of all time, Kei Nishikori is set to make his comeback debut this week in Newport Beach, California. But the Japanese star, who was up to a career-high World No. 4 less than a year ago, will have to fight a loaded field for the trophy.
Set to return to the pro circuit after a wrist injury sidelined him since August, the five-time ATP Challenger Tour titlist is poised to battle a line-up of budding stars and established veterans at the Oracle Challenger Series Newport Beach. Nishikori joins #NextGenATP Americans Frances Tiafoe, Taylor Fritz, Michael Mmoh, Stefan Kozlov, Tommy Paul, Reilly Opelka, Serbian teen Miomir Kecmanovic and Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik. Seeds Bjorn Fratangelo, Ernesto Escobedo and Cameron Norrie are also threats to go far at the inaugural $150,000 event.
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Nishikori will open his 2018 campaign against a qualifier, with a potential second-round date against either Opelka or Denis Kudla. Despite enduring an injury-plagued 2017 season, the big-hitting Opelka is always a threat to spring an upset. And Kudla, a qualifier at the Australian Open, reached the second round where he pushed fifth seed Dominic Thiem to five sets. Escobedo is also in his quarter of the draw, with Fritz, Bublik and recent Noumea champion Noah Rubin looming large as potential semi-final opponents.
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In the bottom half of the draw, two blockbuster first-round clashes are on tap. Second seed Tiafoe, who turned 20 on Saturday, opens with a #NextGenATP tussle against Kecmanovic. Kecmanovic was a practice partner at last year's Nitto ATP Finals after lifting his first Challenger trophy in Suzhou, China. Fifth seed Norrie battles Mmoh in another must-see meeting. One of the biggest performers of the 2017 Challenger season, Norrie is looking to conclude his Top 100 ascent with a deep run in Newport Beach. Mmoh, meanwhile, is coming off an impressive quarter-final run at the Brisbane International presented by Suncorp, notching his first match wins on the ATP World Tour.
Main draw play begins on Monday and you can watch all the action with free live streaming of the ATP Challenger Tour.
The main draws have been determined! Stay tuned to find out more. pic.twitter.com/oiuuXmMJsh
— Oracle Challenger Series (@OracleChallngrs) January 20, 2018.readfullarticle
