KEI NISHIKORI WINS MIAMI THRILLER AGAINST GAEL MONFILS, NICK KYRGIOS IS INTO HIS FIRST MASTERS 1000 SEMIFINAL, HE BEATS MILOS RAONIC

Written by: Staff on 31st March 2016

KEI NISHIKORI WINS MIAMI THRILLER AGAINST GAEL MONFILS, NICK KYRGIOS IS INTO HIS FIRST MASTERS 1000 SEMIFINAL, HE BEATS MILOS RAONIC

epa05238466 The sun sets on the stadium court of the Tennis Center at Crandon Park as Nick Kyrgios of Australia plays Milos Raonic of Canada during a quarterfinal round match at the Miami Open tennis tournament on Key Biscayne, Miami, Florida, USA, 31 March 2016. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER |

By Ricky Dimon

Kei Nishikori saved five match points before outlasting Gael Monfils 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(3) in a semifinal thriller at the Miami Open on Thursday afternoon. Nishikori withstood 14 aces by his opponent and overcame six double-faults off his own racket to prevail after two hours and 29 minutes.

The high-quality roller-coaster ride saw Monfils recover from a break deficit in the deciding set. With momentum in hand, the world No. 16 put himself within one point of victory on five different occasions. He came close to converting his fourth chance when he tracked down a drop-shot and flicked it cross-court, but Nishikori answered with a winning volley.

“I felt good,” Monfils said when asked about the physical struggle of the third set. “I think I had to raise a bit my level to [hold] my serve at 1-3. Then I think at 3-4 I really raised my level. I think I [started] to be very aggressive, [started] to go for it, and still had the strong feeling that I can make it. At the end, I think I pushed very hard. Then definitely I [had] opportunity it close it out, but actually Kei played strong. He fought well. I think in the ‘breaker he was just better than me.”

Gael Monfils of France in action against Kei Nishikori of Japan during their quarterfinal match at the Miami Open tennis tournament on Key Biscayne, Miami, Florida, USA, 31 March 2016. EPA/RHONA WISE

It almost, of course, never got to a tiebreaker. Of Monfils’ five match points, four came with Nishikori serving at 4-5 and the last one at 5-6.

“Well, the first one [was] a good serve,” the Frenchman reflected. “Then the second one I [stepped] in, second serve. I [went] aggressive wide and I [missed] maybe (by) 30 or 40 centimeters. Then the third one; second serve. I didn’t go for it so much. I [went] in between, and then he had a very good forehand behind me. Then I think the last one is the one I thought I had…the drop-shot. I think actually this one was the closest one I had.”

“The match could [have gone] both ways,” Nishikori assured. “I was up a break and I had many [chances] to break again. I just [trired] to focus when I lost the game for 4-all. The tiebreak I was [trying] to be [focused] again. Yeah, did pretty good in (the) tiebreak.”

Next up for the world No. 6 is a second career meeting with Kyrgios, whom Nishikori defeated 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 last fall in Shanghai.

Kyrgios booked a spot in his first-ever Masters 1000 semifinal by upsetting Milos Raonic 6-4, 7-6(4) on Thursday night. The 20-year-old Australian fired eight aces and saved all five of the break points he faced.

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

Nick Kyrgios of Australia in action against Milos Raonic of Canada during their quarterfinal match at the Miami Open tennis tournament on Key Biscayne, Miami, Florida, USA, 31 March 2016. EPA/RHONA WISE

Topics: 10sballs.com, Atp World Tour, Gael Monfils, Kei Nishikori, Men's tennis, Miami Open tennis, milos raonic, Nick Kyrgios, Ricky Dimon, Sports, Tennis News

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PennyLerner says:

March 31, 2016 at 7:19 pm

RT @10sBalls_com: Kei Wins Miami Thriller Against #Monfils, #Kyrgios Is Into His First Masters 1000 Semifinal
https://t.co/13Uv2rRXCs https…
morunien says:

March 31, 2016 at 9:02 pm

RT @10sBalls_com: Kei Wins Miami Thriller Against #Monfils, #Kyrgios Is Into His First Masters 1000 Semifinal
https://t.co/13Uv2rRXCs https…