Kei Nishikori wins fourth successive Memphis Open title

Kei Nishikori beat Taylor Fritz in straight sets to win his fourth straight Memphis Open title Sunday.

The world No 7 secured a 6-4 6-4 victory over the American teenager to join Jimmy Connors as the only four-time winners of the event and became the fourth active player to win an event four times, joining Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Nishikori won his 11th career title with his 17th straight victory in Memphis after defeating Fritz in an hour and 19 minutes.

Fritz served up nine aces with his big serve, but Nishikori was much more effective winning 31 of 38 points on his first serve.

The 18-year-old opened the championship match winning each point on his first five first serves. In contrast, Nishikori was broken in his first service game as Fritz raced into a 3-0 lead.

Nishikori held serve and then broke Fritz when the teen double-faulted at 30-40. He then had another chance to break Fritz in the seventh game, but the teenager fought off three break points to hold serve and go up 4-3. Nishikori held serve, then broke Fritz after the teen had game point at 40-15. Nishikori served out to win the set 6-4 in 36 minutes.

In the second set, both players held serve until Nishikori broke Fritz in the fifth game. Fritz saved his first break point at 30-40 before Nishikori broke him with a forehand winner down the line to go up 3-2.

Fritz then fought off two championship points to hold serve and force Nishikori to serve for the title at 5-4.

And the Japanese made no mistake, celebrating with a fist pump after sealing victory with a forehand winner.