The win is Warwinka’s fourth title of 2015 and 11th overall.
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Friday’s contest was a rematch of the 2014 U.S. Open final won by Cilic. In winning the Japan Open he adds his name to a list of champions that includes Rafael Nadal, Pete Sampras and John McEnroe.
“When I woke up this morning, I couldn’t walk and I was not sure I could play today”, Paire said.
The Frenchman, who played yesterday’s final with his left ankle heavily strapped, upset Japan’s Kei Nishikori in the semi-finals but was no match for Wawrinka.
“It’s a big tournament for me”.
“I feel great, it’s been a really good week for me to win a title again, something always special”, said Wawrinka.
The world No. 4 hit rallies to Paire’s backhand, which was erratic in the opening set, when Wawrinka broke his opponent three times to win.
Under a closed roof due to inclement weather, Wawrinka took the first set in 26 minutes, despite being broken in the fifth game by Paire.
The players traded service games throughout the second set with neither player looking like they would drop a game. “If I had been aggressive the way I was in the first set, the result of the match would have been different”.
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Top seed Stan Wawrinka overpowered American qualifier Austin Krajicek 6-3, 6-4 to join him in the last four, though the Swiss required less than an hour to take care of business on a sunny afternoon in Tokyo. After romping to the first set, the second would prove far more challenging for Wawrinka but he eventually secured the desisive break when 5-4 up and secure the title.
