TOKYO — Defending champion Kei Nishikori, of Japan, was given a real scare by teen ace Borna Coric, of Croatia, on Monday, before sealing a 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 comeback win in the first round of the Rakuten Japan Open.
The 38th-ranked Coric, the youngest player in the top 50 of the ATP world rankings, showed a maturity beyond his years to take the first set, and looked likely to upset the home-crowd favorite.
However, the 18-year-old won only one of the next nine games as the sixth-seeded Nishikori eventually advanced to the second round in in two hours and eight minutes.