Kei Nishikori’s return to the Australian Open couldn’t have been much more dramatic.
Playing at Melbourne Park for the first time since 2021 – subsequently beset by hip, knee and ankle injuries – the 35-year-old saved two match points on Sunday to beat qualifier Thiago Monteiro 4-6 6-7(4) 7-5 6-2 6-3 in a shade more than four hours at John Cain Arena.
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“I almost forgot he had two match points, but I tried to stay calm even though I was almost out of the tournament,” Nishikori said in his on-court interview.
Monteiro – a speedy left-hander who can dictate with his forehand – held all the momentum when he saved two set points ahead of the second-set tiebreak.
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It seemed to be going his way, especially when he generated two match points at 5-4 in the third.
Nishikori saved them both, though, helped by potent first serves, to engineer a fifth comeback from two sets down.
“I almost gave up,” said the recent Hong Kong finalist. “He almost deserved to win today, but somehow I fought through.”
The four-time Australian Open quarterfinalist generally does in deciding sets, either third or fifth.
He holds the highest winning percentage among active men’s players and improved his fifth-set record to 29-8. At Melbourne Park, that record rose to 8-1, the lone defeat came against Roger Federer as part of the Swiss’ fairytale 2017 tournament.
Nishikori recently made the final in Hong Kong, where a Frenchman, Alexandre Muller, did get the better of him in a third set.
Muller’s compatriot, Arthur Fils, tallied a mini-comeback at Margaret Court Arena on Sunday.
The No.20 seed trailed the huge-serving Otto Virtanen prior to prevailing 3-6 7-6(4) 6-4 6-4.
In what proved to be a key moment, Fils broke the Finn as he tried to serve out the second set.
“He was putting me under pressure, so I had to find a way to win the second set and feel a little bit better on the court,” Fils said in his on-court interview.
So how did he reverse his fortunes in the second set?
“I don’t know. I was playing like s**t,” he laughed (as did the crowd). “But then I just tried to put the ball in the court,” he added, motioning to the court to draw more laughs.
While comebacks seemed the order of the day for some of the men’s seeds, Ugo Humbert wasn’t in as much trouble as either Nishikori or Fils against fellow lefty Matteo Gigante.
The No.14 seed – a finalist in front of his home faithful at the Paris Masters in November – looked like he would split the first two sets against the Italian, yet turned the second set around for a 7-6(5) 7-5 6-4 win.
Gigante, a qualifier competing in his first Grand Slam main draw, led Humbert 5-2 in the second.
“He plays really good. I practised with him in Sydney two weeks ago,” Humbert said to the crowd, referring to the pair’s time at the United Cup. “I was sure he was really dangerous. It was not easy. I played well in the key moments.”
That he did. Humbert only won four more points in the two hour, 49-minute clash.
Jiri Lehecka loves playing in Australia. His first title came in Adelaide last year, his second followed in Brisbane this month, and the first Grand Slam main draw the Czech ever contested came at Australian Open 2022.
He made his first Grand Slam quarterfinal at Melbourne Park in 2023, too.
The victories kept coming on Sunday for the No.24 seed, who downed Australian wildcard Li Tu 6-1 3-6 6-3 7-6(1).
Lehecka smothered Tu with his aggressive baseline tennis in the 23-minute opening set. But Tu – who stopped playing years ago before returning to the game – saved a break point at 1-1 in the second, then broke for 3-1 to change the complexion of the affair.
Lehecka had to save a break point at 5-3 in the third against the flashy world No. 168 from Adelaide – Tu dropped his racquet in disbelief after erring on a makeable volley – and needed a tiebreak in set four.
“I knew that Li would be a tough test,” Lehecka, who dealt with a back injury in 2024, said post-match. “And I felt that today. It was a great match. We both played (at the) limit.”
Tomas Machac endured an eventful United Cup. Hindered by cramps, the fiery No.26 seed in Melbourne retired in the second set against Taylor Fritz.
But in another example of his ability, Lehecka’s countryman led the US Open finalist by a set, 5-2 and held match points.
Last year during his breakout season, he beat Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz – and took gold in mixed doubles at the Olympics with Katerina Siniakova.
He began AO 2025 in style on Sunday, getting past India’s Sumit Nagal 6-3 6-1 7-5, Machac striking 38 winners against one of the fastest players on tour.
If he emulates his third-round showing of 2024, Machac could meet Djokovic.