Kei Nishikori shrugs off injury fears

Japan's Kei Nishikori insists he is fit to launch his Wimbledon challenge after the world number five suffered a calf injury scare. Nishikori is due to face Italy's Simone Bolelli in the first round of the grasscourt Grand Slam, which gets underway on Monday.

But the 25-year-old's participation in the tournament was thrown into doubt last week when he was forced to retire from his semi-final against Andreas Seppi at the Wimbledon warm-up event in Halle. Nishikori had first sustained the problem in his left calf when he faced Jerzy Janowicz in the last eight and he aggravated it further in the Seppi clash.

Speaking to reporters at the All England Club on Saturday, Nishikori was adamant he had recovered from the injury and he expects to be at full strength in his opener against Bolelli.

"It's good. I should be fine for Monday, he said. "I had a good three matches in Halle. I think it's great preparation for here. I'm sure that I'll have a lot of confidence. I'm feeling good on grass."

Florida-based Nishikori's fifth seeding makes him the highest-seeded Japanese player at Wimbledon in the Open era. He surpasses the mark of Kimiko Date-Krumm, who was the sixth seed at the All England Club in 1994 and 1995.

Yet Nishikori has never been past the fourth round in six visits to Wimbledon, while he has made at least the quarter-finals of the other three Grand Slams.