Kei Nishikori makes statement of intent against Stan Wawrinka at the ATP World Tour Finals
Monday 14 November 2016 19:17, UK
Kei Nishikori produced some impressive tennis to beat Stan Wawrinka in a rematch of their US Open semi-final on Monday at London's O2 Arena.
World No 5 Nishikori lost their Flushing Meadows battle earlier this year and had lost four of his six meetings with Wawrinka going into their latest clash at the ATP World Tour Finals.
But Nishikori, who made the semi-finals of the Tour Finals in 2014, found the speed of the court to his satisfaction to secure a 6-2 6-3 win in the John McEnroe group that also contains world No 1 Andy Murray and Marin Cilic.
Shots of the match
Nishikori was at full stretch, but somehow kept his racket head steady to power back an angled volley winner during a dominant opening set. Described by Sky Sports tennis analyst Mark Petchey as "arguably the hardest shot in tennis to hit a winner off".
Third-ranked Wawrinka wasn't to be outdone though and struck this flashy forehand winner using an open stance, big lunge with no forward movement to his body weight. It was all arm with little hip rotation. That's what made him a three-time Grand Slam winner.
Expert analysis
"He was so dominant and it was a little disappointing the way Wawrinka went away in that match. I wonder if that left knee is bothering him?"
"Nishikori was great and did everything right out there today and Stan 'The Man' wasn't there today. It was a combination of greatness and a guy who was a little bit flat."
The match
US Open champion Wawrinka, wearing tape around his knee, felt intense accumulative pressure from Nishikori, who made the breakthrough at the fourth time of asking, with some trademark ball-striking from the baseline to take a 3-2 lead.
The Japanese star held serve before breaking for the second time by taking advantage of some inconsistent serving by Wawrinka.
Nishikori served up 11 winners in 29 minutes of dominant tennis.
Some jaw-dropping forehands, with length and pace kept Wawrinka at bay in the next and he soon moved ahead with a somewhat lucky break in the fifth game after his blocked return dropped tantalisingly over the incoming Swiss and found the baseline.
Wawrinka opened the door in ninth game to hand Nishikori his first match point, which he took with aplomb, forcing his opponent into another unforced error - his 31st of the match - to seal victory in 67 minutes.
Check our game-by-game coverage from all group matches at the ATP World Tour Finals in London - including Andy Murray - on skysports.com/tennis, our app for mobile devices and iPad and our Twitter account @skysportstennis.
