Japanese fourth seed Kei Nishikori crashed out in the first round of the US

Open on Monday, falling to 41st-ranked Frenchman Benoit Paire 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-4.

Nishikori, last year's US Open runner-up, had beaten Paire in both their prior meetings and

was enjoying his highest seeding at a Grand Slam event.

But he made a first-round exit in New York for the third time in five years despite having

two match points.