Defending champion Kei Nishikori was two points from defeat in his first-round match at the Rakuten Japan Open on Tuesday, but stormed back to beat unseeded Jurgen Melzer of Austria 6-7 (4-7), 7-5, 6-2 with a huge show of will.
Playing indoors at Ariake Colosseum after rain forced closure of the roof over the hardcourt, Nishikori, ranked 13th in the world, had to muster all of his might to prevent an early exit.
The 26th-ranked Melzer came out aggressive from the start, breaking Nishikori to go up 4-3 in the first set and then prevailed in the tiebreaker.