2021 Australian Open First Round – Kei Nishikori vs Pablo Carreno Busta Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
Where is Kei Nishikori vs Pablo Carreno Busta taking place? Melbourne Park, Melbourne
When is Kei Nishikori vs Pablo Carreno Busta on and what time does it start? Monday 8th February, 2021 – not before 05:00 (UK)
Where can I get tickets for Kei Nishikori vs Pablo Carreno Busta? Click here to reach the official 2021 Australian Open ticket selection
What channel is Kei Nishikori vs Pablo Carreno Busta on? The 2021 Australian Open will be televised on Eurosport so it is worth checking their schedule for this specific match
Where can I stream Kei Nishikori vs Pablo Carreno Busta in the UK? Sky customers can stream this match on the Sky Go app. Alternatively, the match can be streamed to subscribers of Eurosport Player, either on the official website or as an add-on to an Amazon Prime subscription
THE LOWDOWN
KEI NISHIKORI
- World number 41 Kei Nishikori was blown away by Daniil Medvedev in his first match at the ATP Cup but the Japanese star looked much better, and crucially fit, in a three set defeat to Diego Schwartzman on Saturday.
- Nishikori was the victor of a marathon five-set round of 16 clash here with Pablo Carreno Busta at the 2019 Australian Open, coming back from two sets down to beat the Spaniard via a deciding tiebreak.
PABLO CARRENO BUSTA
- 29-year-old Pablo Carreno Busta will not have expected to play such an important role for Team Spain at the ATP Cup but found himself deputising for Roberto Bautista Agut as second option after Rafael Nadal pulled out.
- The world number 16 helped take Team Spain to the last four with wins in the singles over John Millman and Michail Pervolarakis as well as in the doubles over Team Australia.
THE PREDICTION
This looks like one of a few must-watch first round matches at the Australian Open between two players who have some real history here. Pablo Carreno Busta and Kei Nishikori have only played each other once before but that match saw the Japanese come back from two sets down to reach the quarter-finals here in 2019 and the Spaniard will be out for revenge. Carreno Busta’s star has risen progressively over the past year, culminating in reaching the semi-finals at the US Open and quarter-finals of Roland-Garros. There will likely be a set in this for Nishikori if he can play as he did against Diego Schwartzman but it will have to come early-on as Carreno Busta will know to turn the screw against a player still on his way back to peak full match fitness. Carreno Busta to take this match in four sets seems a reasonable outcome here, though both to win a set in a PCB win is a little safer.
