The 18-year old Nishikori, playing his first senior level match on grass, put up a tremendous display and at one stage looked set to walk away with the match but his opponent showed nerves of steel when required to dash young his hopes.
Nishikori (in the picture), who served eight aces and two double faults, has little experience on grass. He played on it at the Junior Wimbledon Championship but since he is based in the US he had not much practice on the surface. He hogged the limelight in February when he beat world No 8 James Blake to win the Delray Beach title.
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