Singles – Semifinal: (10) K Nishikori def. (1) N Djokovic 6-4 1-6 7-6(7-4) 6-3
In the first set, Novak Djokovic looked very unsteady, as if he wasn’t quite well, and Kei Nishikori was on fire. An early break gave Nishikori the set. In the second set, something started to get to him. Maybe it was the high heat; maybe it was just the wear and tear from his two tough matches in the previous rounds. He seemed very stiff, and meanwhile Djokovic was getting his game together. In the third, Nishikori played better; both looked somewhat off, with Nishikori going up a break and then losing it as he served for the match. And yet, come the third set tiebreak, it was Djokovic who made mistake after mistake, just as in the first set. And the top seed played a very tired-looking game to start the fourth set, and was broken, and he this time he didn’t manage to revive himself. He confessed that “I just wasn’t myself.”
It is of course the first Slam final for Nishikori, who is rocketing up the rankings. #11 coming in, this will take him to a career high #8, and if he wins the title, he’s #5.
Novak Djokovic remains #1, and by a wide margin. He still has the inside track for the year-end #1. But this means he hasn’t locked it away. A lot would depend on the outcome of the second semifinal….
Singles – Semifinal: (14) M Cilic def. (2) R Federer 6-3 6-4 6-4
Kei Nishikori will go into the U. S. Open final tired, but he’ll have at least one advantage: He finished his semifinal on time. Shortly after he got off the court, it started raining. And when it finally started, Roger Federer was way off. He was broken early in each of the first two sets. He managed to go up 2-0 in the third, but lost the break soon after, and then was broken again.
Another year without a Slam for Federer. And what an Open! No Djokovic, Nadal, or Federer in the final. It has been nine years since that happened.
Federer improved on his result from last year, but he remains stuck at #3, more than 600 points behind Rafael Nadal. This should have been his big chance to make a run for the year-end #1. It’s still possible, but it will be very difficult; Novak Djokovic remains on top, and by a wide margin. Both Nadal and Federer still have chances, but Federer will need to play better than this and Nadal will have to find a way to play, period.
Marin Cilic, like Kei Nishikori, will be in his first Slam final, so obviously we are guaranteed a first time winner. Cilic will rise to #9 if he can win the title. Even if he loses, we show him rising to #12. And he still has slots to fill, for Shanghai and Paris and, possibly, London. Even if he doesn’t make the Top Ten this week, it appears likely he’ll end the year there.
RANKINGS
Estimated ATP World Tour Rankings
As of September 6, 2014
Rank &
Prior…Player………..Points
1..(1) Djokovic……….12290
2..(2) Nadal…………..8670
3..(3) Federer…………8030
4..(4) Wawrinka………..5625
5..(5) Ferrer………….4495
6..(7) Berdych…………4240
7..(6) Raonic………….4225
8.(11) Nishikori……….3870
9..(8) Dimitrov………..3710
10..(9) Murray………….3150
11.(10) Tsonga………….3100
12.(16) Cilic…………..3045
13.(12) Gulbis………….2615
14.(13) Del Potro……….2365
15.(19) Bautista Agut……1935
16.(15) Isner…………..1925
17.(17) Fognini…………1870
18.(24) Monfils…………1845
19.(20) Anderson………..1840
20.(21) Lopez…………..1770
21.(14) Gasquet…………1730
22.(18) Robredo…………1645
23.(22) Dolgopolov………1535
24.(25) Kohlschreiber……1505
25.(26) MayerL………….1399
26.(31) Simon…………..1360
27.(27) Rosol…………..1290
28.(29) Almagro…………1240
29.(28) Benneteau……….1205
30.(33) Garcia-Lopez…….1203
SATURDAY
U. S. Open
Singles – Semifinal
(10) K Nishikori def. (1) N Djokovic 6-4 1-6 7-6(7-4) 6-3
(14) M Cilic def. (2) R Federer 6-3 6-4 6-4
Boys’ Doubles – Final
(6) Jasika/Nakagawa def. Matos/Menezes 6-3 7-6(8-6)
Topics: 2014 US Open, Atp World Tour, Kei Nishikori, Marin Cilic, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Semi Finals, Tennis Results
@rogerfederer IS PACKING UP, @keinishikori IS RESTING UP, CILIC IS CELEBRATING IT UP & @DjokerNole IS… http://t.co/ieHJfXQ5Fv #tennis #ATP