Kei Nishikori survives opener at Indian Wells

Japan’s Kei Nishikori overcame physical struggles in the third set before pulling out a 6-2, 5-7, 7-6 (3) win over Spain’s Jaume Munar in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open on Wednesday in Indian Wells, Calif.

Nishikori was slowed by a leg ailment late in the match, then also experienced cramps. Even so, he was able to outlast Munar for the win in just under three hours.

“It was not easy. I almost gave up because I was struggling with my body,” Nishikori said. “In the third set I was cramping pretty badly, but somehow I came back and won, so a very good match.”

Nishikori moves on to oppose 18th-seeded Ugo Humbert of France. The event’s 32 seeded players received first-round byes.

Three qualifiers prevailed in their opening-round matches. The United States’ Colton Smith rallied past Italy’s Flavio Cobolli 3-6, 6-2, 6-2. Bosnia’s Damir Dzumhur edged Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (4), and Japan’s Yosuke Watanuki got past Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

Other first-round winners were Southern California natives Marcos Giron and Tristan Boyer, Belgium’s Zizou Bergs, China’s Yunchaokete Bu, the Netherlands’ Tallon Griekspoor, Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan, France’s Corentin Moutet, Great Britain’s Cameron Norrie, Australia’s Christopher O’Connell, Russia’s Roman Safiullin and Brazil’s Thiago Seyboth Wild.

–Field Level Media