Kei Nishikori withdraws from Miami Open first-round match

Kei Nishikori has pulled out of the Miami Open just two hours before his first-round match. The former world No. 4 was scheduled to play against Yoshihito Nishioka. Nishikori announced his withdrawal on social media, saying his body had not fully recovered from last week’s challenging matches. Nishikori recently competed at the Phoenix Challenger, where he reached the semi-finals. He had beaten two seeded players there but struggled with his fitness afterwards. The 35-year-old has faced injuries in recent years, making him cautious about his health. He stated that he needs to listen to his body to continue his career. Due to Nishikori's withdrawal, Hugo Gaston has stepped in to replace him and will play Nishioka. Gaston had previously lost in the qualifiers but now gets another chance to compete. He also played at the Phoenix Challenger, where he lost in the quarter-finals. Gaston has faced Nishioka once before, winning their match in 2020 at the French Open.