NEW YORK (AP) — Rei Sakamoto played his way into the U.S. Open — but only by taking the spot that Kei Nishikori, Japan's greatest men's tennis star, hoped to earn for one last Grand Slam appearance.
In a changing of the guard match, Sakamoto beat Nishikori 6-4, 7-6 (3) on Friday in the final round of qualifying to earn a place in the main draw.
The 20-year-old Sakamoto, like many other players from Japan, considers Nishikori his hero. He was 8 years old and remembers when Nishikori reached the 2014 U.S. Open final, becoming the first Asian man to get that far in a Grand Slam tournament.
“I honestly grew up watching him play and he was my idol for my whole life,” Sakamoto said, “and it’s also a pity to see his last season.”
Nishikori, 36, has battled injuries in recent years and has said this will be his final season. No longer ranked high enough for a guaranteed spot in the main draw, he was given a wild card by the U.S. Tennis Association into the qualifying tournament.
He won two matches, but needed one more to lock up his spot. With fans chanting his name late in the second set, Nishikori was outplayed by Sakamoto, who pounded 19 aces, the last to end it after Nishikori had saved two match points.
“Not happy to lose today, but I’m happy for Rei,” Nishikori said. “He’s the next Japanese top player.”
Afterward, Nishikori was presented with a framed portrait of himself in action by U.S. Open officials. Sakamoto helped hold it up for a picture together.
It was a big moment for Sakamoto, but also a bittersweet one.
“I think a lot of people, like most of the people still follow tennis because of him,” Sakamoto said. “So he’s a superstar and he did a lot to Japanese tennis I think.”
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Kei Nishikori, of Japan, returns the ball to Michael Antonius, of the United States, during a qualifying match at the U.S. Open tennis championships Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Kei Nishikori, of Japan, returns the ball to Michael Antonius, of the United States, during a qualifying match at the U.S. Open tennis championships Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
LONDON (AP) — England was bossing Pakistan by an imposing 261 runs after two days of the Lord's test on Friday.
The host side was 81-3 in its second innings when bad light stopped play and in total command after routing a depleted Pakistan for 110 in the afternoon.
Pakistan medium-pacers Khurram Shahzad and Mohammad Ali did well to prise out Ben Duckett, Jordan Cox and Joe Root in the last session but they were bowling in damage limitation mode.
Their batters' failure conceded an intimidating 180-run lead to England on the first innings. Pakistan hasn't totaled 180 in the series yet and was without opening batter Imam-ul-Haq, who suffered a left calf strain while fielding early Thursday and won't reappear.
England won the first test in Leeds by an innings last week and may yet repeat the three-day feat and clinch the three-match series.
England's four seamers feasted on a Pakistan batting order that wasn't boosted by the return of captain Babar Azam.
Ollie Robinson took 4-11 from 13 overs, including six maidens. Jofra Archer had 3-26 from 11.2 and the fastest new-ball spell of his career, Josh Tongue claimed two wickets and Gus Atkinson was luckless.
“I could probably play until 40 at this rate (with this attack),” the 31-year-old Archer told broadcaster Sky Sports. “It's really nice having the extra seamers in the lineup. It's unbelievable when everybody is fit and firing. Each day it will be someone else's turn.”
Pakistan was blown away in 37.2 overs, and the bowlers were back in harness just over four hours after finishing England's first innings at 290 at noon.
The only resistance when Pakistan batted came from novice opener Azan Awais.
Embarrassingly out to the first ball of the series in Leeds, Awais dug in for 35 overs at Lord's. He debuted in May with a century in Bangladesh and was four runs shy of his third half-century. Awais faced 102 balls to score 46.
“I survived a good innings and built a little bit of my confidence,” Awais told the BBC.
His innings was remarkable considering the next best runs in Pakistan's scoreboard was 20 extras.
Awais was dropped on 8 off Atkinson and overturned being given out on 43. He was caught on the boundary after top-edging a pull at Robinson.
Robinson was heading toward a third player-of-the-match performance in three tests.
He came to the fore after lunch, pinning Saud Shakeel and Mohammed Rizwan to expose the tail. Robinson added Shahzad and Awais but couldn't grab another Lord's five-for.
Archer averaged 90.7 mph (146 kph) before lunch, topping at 95 mph (153 kph) but could nick off only Shan Masood, who moved up to open as Imam's replacement. Archer took out two tailenders at the end.
“I don't think the speed gun is accurate in this game, to be honest,” Archer said. “It didn't really feel that way. But I'll take it.”
Tongue bagged Pakistan's most in-form batter, Abdullah Shafique, right on lunch. Shafique tried driving Tongue on 5 and was caught behind after England reviewed.
Tongue also got Babar straight after lunch. Coming back from a finger injury that made him miss the first test, Babar hit a couple of boundaries through the covers then edged Tongue to third slip on 8.
Tongue had a good day before he bowled. He earned a career-best batting score of 30 not out in the morning. Atkinson was last man out for 45.
They resumed England's first innings on 248-9 and their 10th-wicket partnership added a valuable 47 runs, 42 of them on Friday to retake the momentum from Pakistan.
In their second bat, Duckett gave his wicket to Shahzad in the second over and Jordan Cox was pinned on the back pad by Shahzad in the fourth.
Root reviewed being dismissed by Ali on 24 but it was plumb, and he was out lbw for the ninth time in his last 12 test innings.
Still batting at stumps were the streaky but determined Emilio Gay on 30 and Harry Brook on 7.
See AP’s full cricket coverage here
Pakistan's Khurram Shahzad bowls a delivery on day two of the second cricket test match between England and Pakistan in London, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
England's Jofra Archer bowls a delivery on day two of the second cricket test match between England and Pakistan in London, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan is out lbw on the bowling of England's Ollie Robinson, right, on day two of the second cricket test match between England and Pakistan in London, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
England's Gus Atkinson bats on day two of the second cricket test match between England and Pakistan in London, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
England's Jofra Archer celebrates the wicket of Pakistan's Shan Masood on day two of the second cricket test match between England and Pakistan in London, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
England's Jofra Archer, right, celebrates with teammates the wicket of Pakistan's Shan Masood on day two of the second cricket test match between England and Pakistan in London, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
