Nishikori battle with the cramps and goes to Munar in Indian Wells | ATP Tour

Indian Wells

Nishikori battle with the cramps and goes to Munar in Indian Wells

Boyer and Seyboth Wild also advance

March 05, 2025

Kei Nishikori is back: the Japanese returned to action at the BNP Paribas operate dramatically on Wednesday in Indian Wells.

Compeating at the ATP Masters 1000 of hard track for the first time since 2021, Nishikori exceeded physical problems to defeat a ignition Jaume Munar 6-2, 5-7, 7-6 (3) to sign the second round. The ex No. 4 of the world called the ‘physio’ for a leg injury in the middle of the third set and fought against cramps, but remained firm to achieve a victory in two hours and 57 minutes.

“It has not been easy. I was about to give up because I had problems with my body,” Nishikori said. “In the third set I had quite strong cramps, but somehow I returned and won, so it has been a very good game,” he added.

Nishikori, who got 44 Winners, 29 of them with his right, has recovered from a long -lasting lesion to return to the top 100 of the PIF ATP Rankings, and in January he reached Hong Kong his first ATP Tour final in six years. No. 76 of the world seemed aimed at a routine victory in its first meeting Lexus ATP Head2head against Munar after a rapid start, but the game was complicated after it let out a 4-3 advantage with a break in the second set.

“I knew I was playing well from the beginning, and he took the opportunity in the second set, but even so, I was still happy with my tennis,” Nishikori reflected. “I just tried to maintain concentration and I think he had more opportunities in the third set, but I tried to compete and fight until the end.”

After saving 10 of the 14 break points before Munar, according to Infosys ATP Stats, Nishikori will be measured with the sown No. 18 Ugo Humbert.

Meanwhile, the guest Tristan Boyer enjoyed a dream debut in the main box of the ATP Masters 1000 by ensuring a 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (4) victory against Aleksandar Vukic. Boyer, whose only previous game in Indian Wells had been a first round classification meeting seven years ago, when he was 16 years old, he will face his compatriot and tenth head of the Tommy Paul series.

On the other hand, Thiago Seyboth Wild and Christopher O’Connell achieved victories in three sets to start their campaigns. Seyboth Wild saved two party points on the decisive set before winning 4-6, 7-5 and 7-6 (6) to Alexandre Muller, while O’Connell won the Spaniard Roberto Carbonallés Baena Baena 6-3, 0-6 and 6-1. In the second round, Seyboth Wild will face the Dubai champion last week, Stefanos Tsitsipas, while O’Connell will play against Matteo Berrettini.

In addition, the Spaniards Roberto Bautista Aguet and Pedro Martínez were also eliminated this Wednesday in California. The first, despite taking advantage of the decisive for a game, ended up losing with the Bosnian Damir Dzumhur, who won 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (3) to become a rival of the local Frances Tiafoe, head of series No. 16.

Martínez, on the other hand, fell 6-3, 6-2 with the Hungarian Fabian Marozsan, who will measure in the second round the Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, preclassified No. 29.

Another favorite who knew his first rival on the day was Alexander Zverev. The first preclassified will debut on Friday before the Dutch Tallon Griekspoor, with whom he has a record of 6-1 and who comes from overcoming the Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic with partials of 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3.