He put extra loft on a forehead to create an unforced error from Nishikori on game point, before triumphantly pointing at his head to illustrate his savvy.
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“It’s going to be interesting”. He can beat you with his legs-no player, save for perhaps his opponent on Sunday night, covers as much court.
Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo dominated the service game, as they launch 6 aces against just 2 for Murray and Soares.
Coming here, he also faced injury problems through the grass swing, withdrawing at Halle and retiring in the fourth round of Wimbledon with a rib injury, and he opted not to defend his Washington title last week.
“Everything in life happens for a reason”, said Djokovic.
Though he didn’t appear to begin to find his groove until this weekend, Djokovic didn’t drop a set all tournament. 14 seems to have left the sideshow shots behind, and in the process he might be winning over more hearts and minds – not to mention matches – than ever before. Djokovic was able to get the break again to take a 6-5 advantage and serve for the championship.
Instead, this match provided more evidence of why Djokovic is the world number one, and one of the best to ever play the sport.
With the second set tied at 5-5 and the score at deuce, Djokovic won a pair of rallies to earn the decisive break. He converted on the first after 37 minutes. Vegas odds also have Nishikori as a favourite “next guy” outside the Big 4 of Djokovic, Murray, Nadal and Roger Federer to win a Grand Slam.
Stanislas Wawrinka, of Switzerland, reacts after failing to win his first set against Kei Nishikori, of Japan, during men’s semifinal Rogers Cup tennis action, in Toronto on Saturday, July 30, 2016. But Nishikori clawed his way back, breaking the Serbian at 3-3 to take his first lead of the contest.
The second seed was all about the Asian ace as Wawrinka’s game evaporated. “His serves and returns were great, and I felt pressured”, said Nishikori.
“He played really deep, and he didn’t give me any, like, free points”.
Two blistering return-of-serve winners and a forehand victor down the line got the break back, 3-3, and he looked in great shape as he used his big one-two serve-and-forehand plays to hold for love.
Nishikori fell to 11-8 in career finals and 1-3 this year, claiming the Memphis title. The Japanese player now has 40 wins this season. I was already quite down in the second set.
“Just missed an easy shot on the match, that’s it”, Wawrinka said.
Djokovic crushed Monfils 6-3 6-2 in their semi-final – taking his career record against the Frenchman to 12-0 – and has the chance to become the tournament’s first four-time champion on Sunday.
In the earlier women’s final, world No. 5 Simona Halep defeated Madison Keys to secure her third WTA title of the year.
“I’m approaching the Olympic Games as any other tournament”. “I was not playing my best”.
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Earlier, third seed Nishikori did well to bounce back from an early struggle to defeat second seed Stan Wawrinka 7-6 6-1.
