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Nishikori, Ivanovic out as U.S. Open starts with major upsets

Kei Nishikori, of Japan, reacts after losing a point to Benoit Paire, of France, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Monday, Aug. 31, 2015, in New York. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Kei Nishikori, of Japan, reacts after losing a point to Benoit Paire, of France, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Monday, Aug. 31, 2015, in New York. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

NEW YORK – Kei Nishikori's attempt to repeat his 2014 U.S. Open finals appearance is already over. The No. 4 seed fell to frenchman Benoit Paire 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6, 6-4 on Monday afternoon, a shocking upset rarely seen so early in the men's draw. The women's draw saw its own early surprise, with No. 7 Ana Ivanovic falling in straight sets to Dominka Cibulkova.

Ivanovic was the first to fall. After dropping the first set 6-3, it looked like she'd taken control as she built a 4-1 lead in the second. She eventually took the set 6-3 to even the match. But Cibulkova proved too much in the third.

"It's not easy, but today I felt lke she used her opportunities better than I did," Ivanovic said after the match.

Ivanovic leaves a gaping hole in her quarter of the draw, and her loss means that should Serena Willams advance to the semifinal, the highest seeded player she could face there is the No. 10.

With the sounds of the Arthur Ashe stadium crowd bleeding into Louis Armstrong next door, Paire was stunning Japanese star Nishikori. Nshikori failed to convert a match point in the fourth set, opening a door that Paire stormed through. The 26-year-old Frenchman took the fourth set tiebreak, then the fifth set and the victory. Paire served 21 aces to Nishikori's three, but Nishikori played a cleaner match. He had 36 unforced errors compared to Paire's 67.

"I think he was playing good tennis. I mean, I don't think I played bad. Didn't play great, but still it's never easy first match," Nishikori said after the match. "I had match point and kind of lost a little bit of my forehand." He added that he lost a bit of concentration, too.

Two young Americans also added upsets on Monday afternoon. Lauren Davis knocked out British No. 1 Heather Watson 7-6, 7-6. Madison Brengle defeated China's SaiSai Zheng, 6-2, 5-7, 7-5.