Cameron Norrie loses to Kei Nishikori in Hong Kong, Jack Draper ramping up Australian Open preparations
British men’s No. 2 Cameron Norrie was knocked out of the Hong Kong Open, while Japanese veteran Kei Nishikori reached his first ATP semi-final in nearly four years.
The 29-year-old Norrie lost 3-6 6-3 2-6 to the 35-year-old Kei Nishikori, who has been plagued by injuries for the past three seasons and is ranked just outside the world’s top 100.
Norrie, ranked 49th, is aiming to rediscover the form that propelled him into the top ten in 2022.
He struggled with form and fitness last year but ended the season on a positive note, reaching the final of the Mosel Open in Metz.
But he could not equal this result in Hong Kong because there were no more seeded players in the Hong Kong semi-finals.
After losing to 2014 US Open finalist Kei Nishikori, Norrie will travel to Auckland to compete in the ASB Classic, the final match before the Australian Open on January 12.
Meanwhile, the UK’s No.1 Jack Draper He has been training at Melbourne Park to prepare for the season’s Grand Slam opener.
Draper, 23, missed the Fed Cup team event in Sydney with a hip injury, where Great Britain were eliminated in the quarter-finals.
Draper flew to Melbourne earlier this week after continuing to work out in London.
Ranked 15th in the world, he is looking to go one step further His breakout 2024 season, Still confident that he will be in good shape when the Australian Open starts.
However, the US Open semifinalist will play in his first official match since losing at the Paris Masters on October 31.
