Ninth-seeded Japanese player Kei Nishikori has fallen prey to his recent back injury by crashing out of the French Open on Monday following a first-round defeat.
Nishikori, coached by 1989 French Open champion Michael Chang, was playing for the first time since quitting the Madrid Masters final against Rafael Nadal with a crippling back injury.
According to Sport24, Nishikori struggled through damp, cold conditions at Court One against Slovakia's Martin Klizan and he was broken 10 times, hit 10 double faults and committed 40 unforced errors to ultimately lose 7-6 (7/4), 6-1, 6-2.
Klizan, the 2006 junior champion, will face Robin Haase of the Netherlands for a place in the last 32, the report added.