Tumult arrived early in Flushing Meadows as the erratic but talented Frenchman Benoît Paire beat last year’s US Open finalist, Kei Nishikori, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (8-6), 6-4.
Paire, ranked 41 in the world, saved two match points to force a fifth set, and later looked as surprised as the Japanese fourth seed was despondent.
“It was a little bit tough,” the unseeded Frenchman said. “It was impossible for me to imagine this, beating Nishikori.”
The Japanese, who lost to Marin Cilic in last year’s final, reached the recent Montreal semi-finals against Andy Murray but withdrew from the recent Cincinnati tournament and seems destined to be plagued by injuries.
Paire is on Novak Djokovic’s side of the draw and playing in what has been dubbed the French quarter, along with the seeds Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gaël Monfils, Jérémy Chardy and the unseeded Lucas Pouilly.
