ATP Japan Open: Kei Nishikori beats Milos Raonic 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 6-4 in Tokyo final
Sunday 5 October 2014 10:01, UK
Kei Nishikori claimed his second Japan Open title in three years, after outlasting Milos Raonic 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 6-4 in their draining 136-minute final in Tokyo.
In a rematch of their marathon US Open fourth round duel that equalled the record for the longest match ever played at Flushing Meadows (four hours and 19 minutes), it was the 24-year-old Japanese star who delighted the sell-out 10,000 spectators at the Ariake Colosseum.
The fourth seed clinched the first set via a tie-break before Raonic, who sent down 22 aces in the match compared to his opponent's one, roared back into the contest to force a decider.
The pair held firm on their serve until Nishikori got a crucial break in the 10th game to repeat the outcome of the 2012 Tokyo final in two hours and 12 minutes.
The clash yielded just a brace of service breaks, with Nishikori securing the title on his second match point after Raonic had slipped 0-40 down in the final game of the match.
Kei on course
Despite feeling the physical toll from two weeks of intense tennis after winning in Kuala Lumpur last week, Nishikori remains on course to qualify for the season-ending ATP Tour finals in London.
Big-hitting Raonic now has the unwanted record of being a losing finalist in the last three editions of the Tokyo tournament, despite hitting 45 winners.
Nishikori extended his winning record over Raonic to 4-1, having already beaten his rival in Madrid and the US Open this season while losing to the Canadian at Wimbledon.
Raonic, winner of the Washington event in August, is sitting in the eighth and final spot for the Tour finals - 175 points ahead of ninth-placed Briton Andy Murray with Masters events in Shanghai and Paris still to come.
