Japan give Nishikori Davis Cup day off

Tokyo : Japan's Kei Nishikori will be rested for the first day of their home Davis Cup World Group playoff against Ukraine on Friday after his recent exertions at the US Open.

The world number five beat Rafael Nadal to win Olympic bronze before reaching the semi-finals of the year's final grand slam in New York last week.

"Obviously I'm not 100 percent after the US Open," said Nishikori on Thursday.

"I had a long discussion with the team, the doctors and the physicians and decided not to play on Friday. It's been a really long summer, with Rio too, so maybe that's why I'm not quite ready.

"It's just tiredness," he added after a Flushing Meadows run which included a quarter-final victory over Andy Murray. "No major injury, but I'm not 100 percent for sure."

Nishikori, beaten by eventual champion Stan Wawrinka in his failed bid to reach his second US Open final, insisted, however, that he was in shape to help Japan overcome Ukraine in Osaka.

"I've played some great tennis this summer so I'm physically and mentally very positive," saidNishikori, who will be joined on Japan's Davis Cup team by Taro Daniel, Yoshihito Nishioka and Yuichi Sugita -- all ranked just inside the world's top 100.

"Obviously singles will be important. You win three (singles matches), you're done. Everyone's playing really well and we have a lot of confidence."

Ukraine coach Mikhail Filima admitted Nishikori's absence on Friday would boost his side's hopes.

"Of course it gives us more of a chance," he said. "It was a big surprise. Illya Marchenko can win two points for Ukraine."

Marchenko is Ukraine's top-ranked player, currently at a career-high 50th, and is joined by Sergiy Stakhovsky, Artem Smirnov and Danylo Kalenichenko.