Top seed Nishikori suffers shock first-round loss in Rio

[February 22, 2017]    (Reuters) - Top seed Kei Nishikori crashed out of the Rio de Janeiro Open on Tuesday after suffering a 6-4 6-3 first-round loss to Brazil's Thomaz Bellucci.

The Japanese world number five, who was stunned by unseeded Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov in the Argentina Open final two days ago, was broken in the first game en route to losing the match in 79 minutes.

Bellucci meets compatriot Thiago Monteiro, who beat Portugal's Gastao Eliasa 2-6 7-6(4) 6-4, in the next round.

(Reporting by Frank Pingue; Editing by Peter Rutherford)

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