Evans through to 3rd round with win over Nishikori
PA Media dpa Britain’s an Evans on Saturday defeated ei ishikori for the first time in eight years to reach the third round of the B P Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
Fellow Briton Cameron orrie, who arrived in the Californian desert on the back of a fifth final appearance of the season in San iego, also made it through with a 6-4 5- 6-0 victory over American Tennys Sandgren.
ishikori had won three of his four previous meetings against Evans, with the Briton’s only success coming in his breakthrough grand slam run at the US Open in 2013.
The apanese player is currently ranked down at 53 but he remains a sweet ball-striker and smooth mover, and he got the better of three breaks of serve to take the opening set.
But Evans, who reached the fourth round of a grand slam for the second time in
ew York last month, got his reward for chipping away at the ishikori serve in the second set with a break in the sixth game.
Both men received treatment to their feet during the match, and ishikori appeared to be in the ascendancy at the start of the decider, but Evans withstood the pressure and moved ahead in the seventh game before saving two break points to clinch victory after nearly three hours in intense heat.
“The heart sinks a bit when I see ei’s name waiting to come through,” said Evans with a smile. “The conditions don’t really bother me. I quite like it, but it was a tough draw.
“It was satisfying how I dealt with a bit of adversity after the first set and missed a few chances to get up, so it was nice to come through in a good, tough match.”