Djokovic To Face Nishikori In Madrid Open Semi-Finals

Serbia’s world number one tennis player Novak Djokovic will play Kei Nishikori of Japan in the semi-final of the Madrid Open tournament on Saturday after both came through their quarter-final encounters on Friday.

Top-ranked Djokovic beat Milos Raonic 6-3, 6-4 to reach his fifth semi-final of the year, and sixth-ranked Kei Nishikori edged Nick Kyrgios 6-7 (6), 7-6 (1), 6-3 in a thriller that lasted 2 1/2 hours. Coming off a final loss to Nadal in Barcelona, Nishikori overcame 18 aces by Kyrgios, getting his lone break to go up 3-1 in the decisive set.

Djokovic got past the 10th-ranked Raonic to win his 31st match of the year in a rematch of the final in Indian Wells, where Djokovic also won. The Serb has won 13 straight matches against top-10 players, winning 29 of 30 sets during that run.

“It was a long match,” Djokovic said. “It could have gone a different direction if I had lost the serve on that last game. But you know, that’s what happens when you play somebody like Milos, one of the best servers in the game. It’s very difficult to play against him, you are constantly under pressure.”

Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia, celebrating her 27th birthday, reached the women’s final by beating American qualifier Louisa Chirico 6-1, 6-1 in less than an hour. She will play Simona Halep, who defeated Samantha Stosur 6-2, 6-0 in the other semifinal. Halep, the 2014 finalist in Madrid, was the only seeded player to make it to the semis.

Djokovic To Face Nishikori In Madrid Open Semi-Finals

Nadal To Play Nishikori For Ninth Barcelona Title

One week after completing his ninth title run at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, Rafael Nadal will vie for a ninth crown at another happy hunting ground.

The top seeded Spaniard will look to dethrone two-time defending champion Kei Nishikori on Sunday after downing Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3, 6-3 in the semis of the Barcelona Open.

Bidding for an unprecedented ninth victory on home soil, he is hoping to lift his first trophy in three years, adding to crowns in 2005-’09 and 2011-’13 at the Real Club Tenis Barcelona-1899.

“Tomorrow I will play against one of the world’s best players and it will be complicated,” said Nadal. “I have to play a great match to win the final.”

Nadal had his entire shotmaking arsenal on display against Kohlschreiber, firing 18 winners and claiming 80 per cent of first serve points. He denied his lone break point faced, while capitalising on three of eight on the German’s serve.

Nadal broke for a 4-2 lead in the first set when a Kohlschreiber forehand clipped the tape and sailed long. The Spaniard continued to apply the pressure in the second, and after failing to convert on three break points in the fifth game, he took his fourth chance for 4-3 and another to seal the victory two games later.

He struck a deep return at Kohlschreiber’s feet and a backhand winner to the open court to emerge victorious on his first match point after one hour and 32 minutes.

The World No. 5 advanced to his 101st tour-level final, where he will look to continue his winning ways against Nishikori. Nadal owns an 8-1 advantage in their FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry, with their lone final encounter also coming on Spanish soil, in Madrid two years ago.

Should Nadal prevail on Sunday, he would earn a record-tying 49th career clay-court crown, pulling level with Guillermo Vilas.

ATP

Nadal To Play Nishikori For Ninth Barcelona Title

Djokovic To Play Nishikori In Miami Masters Final

Novak Djokovic will play Kei Nishikori in Sunday’s Miami Open final after both went through in straight sets.

Serbia’s Djokovic, the five-time champion and world number one, beat Belgian David Goffin 7-6, (7-5), 6-4 on a hot afternoon.

Japanese sixth seed Nishikori beat Australian Nick Kyrgios 6-3, 7-5 in the evening session.

“It’s going to be tough,” said Nishikori, who has won two of eight matches against Djokovic.

“We just played in Australia and I lost in straight sets, so I need to do something better.”

Djokovic, 28, will try to match Andre Agassi’s record haul of six Miami titles, and become the first man to win the Indian Wells-Miami double three years in a row.

Djokovic bent down and kissed the court after finally seeing off 15th seed Goffin in a gruelling two hours and five minutes.

“It was evident that we both struggled with conditions,” said the Serb.

“Physically, it was a great battle. I think we were both trying to catch some breath after some points. It was windy, it was warm, it was humid.”

The top seed came back from a break down in the first set, before Goffin missed a golden opportunity with the open court gaping at 4-4 in the tie-break.

“I was on the back foot in that point, he was dictating,” said Djokovic. “He came to the net and I anticipated where he might smash the ball, he framed it a little bit.

“I had to defend well, which I think I did at the end of the tie-break.”

Nishikori too sharp for Kyrgios

Kyrgios had shown off his firepower in beating Milos Raonic on Friday, but he could not handle Nishikori’s pinpoint accuracy from the baseline.

The Australian dropped serve with a double fault in game three, and did the same on set point six games later.

Nishikori looked to be faltering when he failed to hold for 3-0 in the second set, but the Japanese player avoided the need for a tie-break with a lunging volley on his second match point.

“It was tough. When he plays me he plays so aggressive, doesn’t let me dictate points,” said Kyrgios.

“I felt rushed out there, I was really looking for answers. I’ve been struggling on my serve all week, so to come this far without having my best weapon is a pretty good effort.”

Nishikori, 26, is through to his first Miami final and second at the Masters 1000 level.

Credit: BBC

Djokovic To Play Nishikori In Miami Masters Final