NISHIKORI FIGHTS, WINS OVER CROWD BUT DJOKOVIC RESTORES ORDER AT WORLD TOUR FINALS BY RICKY DIMON

Written by: on 15th November 2014
ATP World Tour Finals
NISHIKORI FIGHTS, WINS OVER CROWD BUT DJOKOVIC RESTORES ORDER AT WORLD TOUR FINALS BY RICKY DIMON

epa04490927 Japan's Kei Nishikori returns the ball to Serbia's Novak Djokovic during their semi final match at the ATP World Tour Finals in London, Britain, 15 November 2014. EPA/ANDY RAIN  |

Are you not entertained?

 

The first semifinal of the 2014 World Tour Finals will not exactly go down as an instant classic nor was more than one set competitive, but it at least went the distance–a rare occurrence this week in London. Kei Nishikori mounted a charge from a set and a break down but ultimately went down to Novak Djokovic 6-1, 3-6, 6-0 after one hour and 27 minutes.

 

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic returns the ball to Japan’s Kei Nishikori during their semi final match at the ATP World Tour Finals in London, Britain, 15 November 2014. EPA/ANDY RAIN

Djokovic had surrendered no more than four games in any of his round-robin matches and more of the same looked like it would continue in the semis, as the top seed cruised through the opening set in a mere 23 minutes. Nishikori won only 11 points and struck just two winners to his opponent’s seven.

Suddenly, however, the tide turned–in part thanks to the crowd making its first real impact of the week. Having sat through blowout after blowout, the fans were naturally starved for entertainment–especially in such a meaningful match. They cheered enthusiastically when Djokovic double-faulted to give a break back at 1-0 in the second, thus igniting a somewhat inexplicable meltdown by the Serb. It took him an entire set to recover, as he dropped serve again at 3-4 due to a few errors combined with spectacular play by Nishikori.

 

“I cannot blame the crowd,” said Djokovic, who mock applauded the fans after the incident. “The crowd has a right to do what they want, to cheer for whoever they want. Some individuals that were going over the line throughout the whole match, some provocations that I usually don’t react on, but I did. It was my fault.”

 

By far the loudest ovations of the tournament came when Nishikori broke for 5-3 and then closed out the set, but the crowd was soon silenced. The match featured two distinct turning points: one when Djokovic double-faulted to get broken in the second and the next when Nishikori squandered two break points to begin the third. Staring at a 15-40 opportunity, the U.S. Open champion made successive forehand and backhand errors. Djokovic managed to hold and was off to the races.

 

Japan’s Kei Nishikori in action against Serbia’s Novak Djokovic during their semi final match at the ATP World Tour Finals in London, Britain, 15 November 2014. EPA/ANDY RAIN

Nishikori won only nine more points the rest of the way as he virtually handed Djokovic the decider in just 27 minutes. The Japanese star’s fourth double-fault of the set and sixth of the day ended things in appropriate fashion. In fairness to the two-time defending champion, though, he committed a mere two unforced errors throughout the third and an impressive 13 the whole match.

 

Djokovic dominated points that lasted fewer than five shots, winning 45 of those to Nishikori’s 25. Rallies of more than five shots were just about even (Djokovic led by four in that department).

 

“Even (though the) last set was (a) bagel, I had [a couple of chances in the] first couple games,” Nishikori reflected. “The first set he played really good; too good for me. But (in the) second set I start playing well. He got little bit tight. I took some risk. Everything worked well in the second. I was playing well. Even (during the) first couple points in (the) third set, I thought I had it. Then he [started] playing better. You know, it’s very disappointing because…I could be I think [a little bit] closer in the third set. But it was a good week.”

 

“Today I found it a little bit difficult mentally to stay concentrated throughout the whole match.,” Djokovic explained. “After emotional three matches I had, especially yesterday when I achieved the goal to finish as No. 1 of the world, knowing that, I felt a little bit, I would say, flat emotionally today. I needed a little bit more time to kind of give myself a boost.”

 

Concluded Nishikori: “When he’s playing well, I don’t think anybody can stop him.”

 

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

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