Match Report
Nishikori’s Davis Cup heroics seal tie over Great Britain
Rune’s double duty helps send Denmark through, France make perfect start vs. Brazil
February 01, 2025
Paul Miller/Getty Images
Kei Nishikori seals a 3-2 victory for Japan over great Britain in the Davis Cup qualifiers first round.
By ATP Staff
Kei Nishikori found a fitting time to notch his 300th hard-court win on Saturday by sealing victory for Japan over Great Britain at the Davis Cup.
The former No. 4 in the PIF ATP Rankings powered past Billy Harris 6-2, 6-3 in a dramatic deciding rubber in front of a vibrant home crowd in Miki, Japan. Nishikori’s milestone hard-court victory ensured a 3-2 win for the Japanese over Great Britain in their Davis Cup qualifiers first-round tie to set up a meeting with Germany. The winners of the second-round ties will advance to the Davis Cup Final 8 in Bologna in November.
Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski had given Great Britain a lead with their 7-6(4), 7-6(3) win over Yosuke Watanuki and Takeru Yuzuki, but Yoshihito Nishioka held his nerve to restore parity inside the Bourbon Beans Dome. The 29-year-old sank fast-rising star Jacob Fearnley 6-3, 7-6(0) to keep Japan’s hopes alive.
Nishikori then sent the home fans berserk with a dominant win over Harris to put an end to a riveting tie. By making amends for Friday’s loss to Fearnley, the 35-year-old improved to 19-4 in Davis Cup singles matches.
Elsewhere, Holger Rune pulled double duty to help send Denmark through after a 3-2 victory over Serbia. The No. 12 in the PIF ATP Rankings teamed with Johannes Ingildsen to defeat Miomir Kecmanovic and Hamad Medjedovic 6-4, 6-4 before cruising to a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Kecmanovic in the singles rubber.
The 21-year-old Elmer Moller was the unlikely hero for the Danes as he rallied past 2023 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF winner Medjedovic 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the deciding rubber. In the second round, Denmark will face the winner of the ongoing tie between Switzerland and Spain.
Team Denmark celebrate its 3-2 victory over Serbia in the first round of the 2025 Davis Cup qualifiers. Photo: Oliver Hardt/Getty Images
In other action on Saturday, Arthur Fils and Ugo Humbert both secured straight-sets wins to move France 2-0 ahead in their tie with Brazil. Humbert edged reigning Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF champion Joao Fonseca 7-5, 6-3, while Fils notched a commanding 6-1, 6-4 triumph over Thiago Seyboth Wild.
If France can go on to secure victory over Brazil, it will ensure a second-round meeting with Croatia, which moved past Slovakia.