Japan’s Kei Nishikori plays a backhand return to Croatia’s Marin Cilic during their singles tennis match at the Monte-Carlo ATP Masters Series tournament in Monaco on April 20, 2018.
YANN COATSALIOU / AFP

Kei Nishikori retired during his opening match against Spain’s Guillermo Garcia-Lopez at the Barcelona Open on Wednesday.

Nishikori, who lost to Rafael Nadal in the Monte Carlo Masters final on Sunday, pulled out after conceding the first set to Garcia-Lopez 6-3.

Fatigue and pain in his troublesome right wrist appeared to prompt the withdrawal from Japan´s world number 22, who will now look to regain fitness ahead of the French Open next month.

“My expectations grew in Monte Carlo, despite losing to Nadal,” Nishikori told reporters after the match.

“However, I started feeling discomfort again during the first set and I did not want to take any risks.”

It completes a double setback for Asian players as Hyeon Chung, the South Korean who was a surprise semi-finalist at this year’s Australian Open, withdrew before play in Barcelona even began.

AFP