The world’s no.1 can beat you from the baseline-he’s the steadiest hitter around, with pinpoint accuracy to boot.
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Djokovic attributes his steadily improving play to an early exit at Wimbledon, with the extra week off giving him time to regroup, fine-tune, and peak over the second half of the summer. He can overpower at times- surprising given his deceptive 170-lb frame.
Nishikori will be seeking his first ATP Masters 1000 title after reaching the third final of his career in the elite events, and will next face either top seed Novak Djokovic or 10th seed Gael Monfils who were playing later on Saturday.
The victor in 2007, 2011-12 in the hardcourt event that rotates between Toronto and Montreal, Djokovic will face third-seeded Kei Nishikori today.
The 29-year-old has seven victories this year and 66 overall, a record 30 in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events such as the Canadian stop.
Nishikori dug down for a high volley over the net that Djokovic could have easily returned. The Japanese player now has 40 wins this season.
His inclusion never seemed in doubt.
It was a special sweet victory for Halep, who also played last year’s Rogers Cup final in Toronto against rising Swiss tennis player Belinda Bencic but had to step down in the third set due to a leg injury.
Nishikori started to claw his way back, holding a pair of break points in his next return game, both of which Wawrinka erased with big serves. “Best two performance came at the right time-last night in semis today in finals”.
But he came close here in the Finals.
Djokovic looked in fine form from the outset, punishing Nishikori to clinch the opening set in 33 minutes.
In the next game Djokovic blanked him, the winning point courtesy a stunning second-serve curveball that hugged the centre service line to tie the set at 5-5.
Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, serves to Kei Nishikori, of Japan, during the men’s final of the Rogers Cup tennis tournament, Sunday, July 31, 2016, in Toronto. Nishikori spoke after the match as well.
Kei Nishikori is coming off a straight sets win over Stan Wawrinka that took 20 games to decide.
The capacity crowd at York University’s Aviva Centre was clearly partial to Djokovic, with almost a dozen Serbian flags in the crowd and fans chanting “NO-LE” – Djokovic’s nickname – before the start of every game. The Japanese gave up on the point and simply stood in the centre of the court waiting for Wawrinka to put the ball away. Djokovic’s serve has developed immensely over his career, while Nishikori’s serve tends to get exposed when he comes up against the best players in the world.
The Taiwanese player was ousted in the first round of the Rogers Cup a year ago by Pospisil. Here’s betting he won’t be searching very long.
It was a corny end to an interesting Rogers Cup.
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“It was great to play golf and spend time with my family but this is what I do and I want to get back and get on with it”, Moyes said.
