Kei Nishikori needs 5 sets again in French Open win

Sports AP 03/06/2021

Kei Nishikori needed five sets again to win at the French Open.

Japan's Kei Nishikori in action during his second round match against Russia's Karen Khachanov(REUTERS)

The former U.S. Open finalist rallied past 23rd-seeded Karen Khachanov 4-6, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 after having also gone the distance to beat Italian qualifier Alessandro Giannessi in the first round.

Nishikori next faces Swiss qualifier Henri Laaksonen, who upset 11th-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 for his first victory against a top-20 player.

Khachanov was treated by a trainer in the fifth set after cutting his right middle finger by hitting his racket strings out of anger.

Williams-Gauff partnership

The new doubles partnership of Venus Williams and Coco Gauff didn’t go very far at the French Open.

The 40-year-old Williams and 17-year-old Gauff lost to 13th-seeded Ellen Perez and Zheng Saisai 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3 in the first round.

It marked the first time that Williams had played a Grand Slam doubles match with anyone but her sister. She and Serena Williams have won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.

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