Nishikori makes Japan history amid Paire tantrums
Source: Agencies |
June 2, 2013, Sunday
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KEI Nishikori became the first Japanese man in 75 years to reach the French Open's fourth round, doing so with a victory where his opponent was docked a point for being coached.
The 13th-seeded Nishikori beat an increasingly irate No. 24 Benoit Paire of France 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-1 yesterday.
Paire had a set point while leading 5-4 in the second and Nishikori serving. But the Frenchman was given a point penalty by chair umpire Enric Molina for coaching, which is not allowed at grand slams, and Nishikori wound up holding serve amid boos from the crowd.
Paire said later that his coach was merely putting his hands in the air to offer encouragement. "For sure, it's not fair. You see every coach do the same thing," an angry Paire said. "If it's the best player in the world, (Molina) doesn't (give a) warning."
Paire did manage to win that set, anyway, but was broken in the last game of the third when he missed a drop shot.
Japan's Fumiteru Nakano lost in the fourth round in Paris in 1938. Nishikori will next play either third seed Rafael Nadal or Fabio Fognini.
On Friday, Kevin Anderson beat 14th seed Milos Raonic 7-5, 7-6 (4), 6-3 to become the first South African to reach the French Open fourth round since 1996.
Wayne Ferreira was the last South African to make the fourth round, and another win for Anderson will see him match Cliff Drysdale's feat as the last to reach the quarterfinals in 1967.
"Wayne is a great player to aspire (to) and try and reach some of his achievements he made," Anderson said. "He was a great player, and (I've) still obviously got a long way to go to match some of his other achievements. But being in the fourth round is great."
The 23rd-seeded Anderson has won two career titles compared to Ferreira's 15, and he faces a tall order as his next opponent is Spanish claycourt expert David Ferrer, seeded fourth.
The 13th-seeded Nishikori beat an increasingly irate No. 24 Benoit Paire of France 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-1 yesterday.
Paire had a set point while leading 5-4 in the second and Nishikori serving. But the Frenchman was given a point penalty by chair umpire Enric Molina for coaching, which is not allowed at grand slams, and Nishikori wound up holding serve amid boos from the crowd.
Paire said later that his coach was merely putting his hands in the air to offer encouragement. "For sure, it's not fair. You see every coach do the same thing," an angry Paire said. "If it's the best player in the world, (Molina) doesn't (give a) warning."
Paire did manage to win that set, anyway, but was broken in the last game of the third when he missed a drop shot.
Japan's Fumiteru Nakano lost in the fourth round in Paris in 1938. Nishikori will next play either third seed Rafael Nadal or Fabio Fognini.
On Friday, Kevin Anderson beat 14th seed Milos Raonic 7-5, 7-6 (4), 6-3 to become the first South African to reach the French Open fourth round since 1996.
Wayne Ferreira was the last South African to make the fourth round, and another win for Anderson will see him match Cliff Drysdale's feat as the last to reach the quarterfinals in 1967.
"Wayne is a great player to aspire (to) and try and reach some of his achievements he made," Anderson said. "He was a great player, and (I've) still obviously got a long way to go to match some of his other achievements. But being in the fourth round is great."
The 23rd-seeded Anderson has won two career titles compared to Ferreira's 15, and he faces a tall order as his next opponent is Spanish claycourt expert David Ferrer, seeded fourth.
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