Australian Open: Nishigori leaves Melbourne

One more set for the Australian Open! After Roger Federer, Dominic Theme, Milos Ravnic or Stan Wawrinka is another former Grand Slam finalist who has been forced to give up the first major of the season. Japan’s Kei Nishigori (32, 47) announced on his social media network this Thursday: “Happy New Year to everyone! 2022 I wish you happiness and health. For my part, this is unfortunately a little less positive. Since the end of last season, I have been suffering from hip pain. I’m not 100% healed yet and should drop the Australian season. This is very disappointing because for me, the Australian Open is like my Grand Slam at home. Asian Grand Slam. Can’t wait for next year to come. I am working hard to recover and will do everything I can to get to court soon. Thank you for your cooperation. “

Four legs for Nishigori in Australia

Kei Nishigori should have participated in his eleventh Australian Open, where he reached the quarterfinals of 2012 (losing to Murray), 2015 (losing to Wawrinka), 2016 (losing to Djokovic) and 2019 (losing to Djokovic). . But in 2010, 2018 and 2020 the Japanese will have to give up. The 2022 season is off to a bad start for the former US Open finalist, who hopes to start climbing the ATP rankings, finishing 47th in the 2021 season, his worst season ranking since 2010. Last year, Nishigori won 26 games and lost 17. The semifinals in Washington, the quarter-finals at the Rotterdam, Dubai and Tokyo Olympics and the 16th round at Roland-Carros. If all goes well, we will meet him again in the US (Dallas and Delre Beach) in February. Meanwhile, the set goes to Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber (38, 114th), who is ineligible to enter the Australian Open’s schedule directly.