Kei Nishikori is through to the second round of the men’s singles tennis tournament but he says he is still get used to the conditions at Rio 2016.
The Japanese star, seeded fourth, overcame Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-2 6-4 and produced what will surely go down as one of the shots of the tournament in the second set.
Nishikori lost his racket in the second game of the second set but managed to recover it and fire a winner past Ramos-Vinolas, leaving the left-hander looking understandably puzzled.
“Usually I would give up the point when I lose the racket but not this time,” said Nishikori, as reported by Japan Today.
“I saw that I had a chance to win the point, so I hung in there.”
The Olympic tournament is being played on a fast hardcourt surface to minimise disruption to the players on the North American swing of the ATP Tour, but Nishikori says the courts are playing slower than those he experienced in Toronto for the Rogers Cup last week.
He added: “I have to make a lot of adjustments. I just have to feel comfortable as there will be many days when there are a lot of long rallies.
“Nishikori is up against Australian John Millman in the second round on Monday in what could be a tough test for the London 2012 quarter-finalist.
Millman became the first player to clinch a ‘double-bagel’ in Olympic history with his 6-0 6-0 first-round drubbing of Lithuania’’ Ricardas Berankis.
Nishikori will turn his attentions to the US Open after the Olympics and he is 26.00 to win the Grand Slam event.
Novak Djokovic is the 1.91 favourite and Marin Cilic is 41.00.
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