Japan failed to reach the quarterfinals of the Davis Cup, losing its first-round World Group fixture against Britain when Kei Nishikori lost in five sets to world No. 2 Andy Murray in an epic reverse singles match on Sunday.
Murray took the first two sets but Nishikori forced a final set before losing 7-5, 7-6 (7-6), 3-6, 4-6, 6-3 in their four-hour, 54-minute marathon match. Nishikori, who earned a reputation at the 2014 U.S. Open for grinding down opponents in five-set battles of attrition, said he had a chance but that Murray was able to hang in too well.
"(I made) some unforced errors that I shouldn't have. But I think he raised his level in the fifth set," Nishikori said. "I knew he was going to come back because he always does. And I was fine. There was no way I was going to give up in this important match. I tried to focus, but he was better in the fifth.