Sakamoto beats retiring hero Nishikori to earn US Open spot

NEW YORK -- Rei Sakamoto played his way into the US 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.

Sakamoto, 20, like many other players from Japan, considers Nishikori his hero. He was 8 years old and remembers when Nishikori reached the 2014 US Open final, becoming the first Asian man to get that far in a Grand Slam tournament.