on paper

誰もが予想しなかった初戦敗退。先生もショックでしょう。ここのon paperという表現が気になりました。これはどのような意味なのでしょうか。ぬまたさん，どうぞ。（StarRight）

U.S. Open 2015: Kei Nishikori, last year's finalist, makes quick exit

Benoit Paire has gained a cult following on the tennis tour for his fiery temper, fondness for fast food and guzzling soft drinks during changeovers.

But on the opening day of the U.S. Open, the Frenchman displayed his talent -- and grit -- in upsetting last year's finalist Kei Nishikori in five sets after saving two match points.
Nishikori entered this season's tournament somewhat in uncertainty, since he skipped the Cincinnati Masters, a warmup, with a hip injury. Yet not many would have forecast
Monday's 6-4 3-6 4-6 7-6 (6) 6-4 result in New York, since the diminutive but hard-hitting Japanese baseliner went into last year's U.S. Open on the back of a toe injury and subsequently became the first Asian man to make a grand slam singles final.

Further, Nishikori began the match against the 41st-ranked Paire as the world No. 4, his highest ever ranking, and even when he failed to convert the successive match points in the fourth-set tiebreak, the odds remained on his side: He owned a stellar 12-3 record in fifth sets while Paire stood at 4-4, including three defeats alone at the U.S. Open.

Paire, though, registered the lone break of the fifth and on a stiflingly hot day in the Big Apple -- similar to the conditions when Nishikori ousted world No. 1 Novak Djokovic last year in the U.S. Open semifinals as part of his breakthrough fortnight -- sealed the three-hour, 14-minute contest with a 21st ace.

"Yeah, it's very sad to lose always first round, but I think he was playing good tennis," Nishikori told reporters. "So, I mean, I don't think I played bad. Didn't play great, but still, it's never easy first match."

Paire's jubilant celebration was fitting for a man who so nearly tumbled outside the top 150 in February as the effects of a knee injury in 2014 continued to take a toll on his ranking.

"It's a big victory," Paire, whose diet is better nowadays, told reporters. "What can I say more? To beat Kei, he made final last year, so for me, yes, it's my best victory during my career. But I don't want to stop now. I don't want to stop after Kei, after this match."

On paper, he shouldn't, as his next foe is 84th-ranked Marsel Ilhan of Turkey

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/08/31/tennis/u-s-open-tennis-nishikori-djokovic/