NISHIKORI, CILIC SET TO CONTEST A MOST SURPRISING U.S. OPEN FINAL BY RICKY DIMON

Written by: Staff on 7th September 2014

NISHIKORI, CILIC SET TO CONTEST A MOST SURPRISING U.S. OPEN FINAL BY RICKY DIMON

epa04388360 Kei Nishikori of Japan reacts after defeating Novak Djokovic of Serbia during their semifinals round match on the thirteenth day of the 2014 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 06 September 2014. The US Open runs through 08 September, a 15-day schedule. EPA/JUSTIN LANE |

For the first time since the 2005 Australian Open (Marat Safin vs. Lleyton Hewitt), a men’s singles Grand Slam final will be without either Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, or Novak Djokovic. It will also be the first Grand Slam final between two men ranked outside the top 10 since the 2002 French Open (Juan Carlos Ferrero vs. Albert Costa) and the first U.S. Open final between two men making their major final debuts since 1997 (Patrick Rafter vs. Greg Rusedski).

That is just some of the history that will be made when Kei Nishikori and Marin Cilic square off inside Arthur Ashe stadium on Monday evening.

Head-to-head: Nishikori 5-2

2008 Indian Wells first round: Cilic 6-2, 6-4

2010 U.S. Open second round: Nishikori 5-7, 7-6(6), 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-1

2011 Chennai first round: Nishikori 4-6, 7-6(0), 6-2

2012 U.S. Open third round: Cilic 6-3, 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-3

2013 Memphis quarterfinals: Nishikori 6-4, 6-2

2014 Brisbane quarterfinals: Nishikori 6-4, 5-7, 6-2

2014 Barcelona quarterfinals: Nishikori 6-1, 6-3

Road to the final

Nishikori:

d. Wayne Odesnik 6-2, 6-4, 6-2

d. Pablo Andujar 6-4, 6-1, retired

d. Leonardo Mayer 6-4, 6-2, 6-3

d. Milos Raonic 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-7(6), 7-5, 6-4

d. Stan Wawrinka 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(7), 6-7(5), 6-4

d. Novak Djokovic 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(4), 6-3

Cilic:

d. Marcos Baghdatis 6-3, 3-1, retired

d. Illya Marchenko 7-6(2), 6-2, 6-4

d. Kevin Anderson 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4

d. Gilles Simon 5-7, 7-6(3), 6-4, 3-6, 6-3

d. Tomas Berdych 6-2, 6-4, 7-6(4)

d. Roger Federer 6-3, 6-4, 6-4

Quotable

Nishikori: “I didn’t even know if I should come to New York (due to in injury), so I wasn’t expecting nothing, actually. But after playing (my) first match and second (matches), I [got] more confidence on my foot and [there] was no pain…. (Cilic) has been playing really well, very aggressive, very fast tennis. I know he’s been getting stronger.”

Marin Cilic of Croatia celebrates after upsetting Roger Federer of Switzerland during their semifinals round match on the thirteenth day of the 2014 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 06 September 2014. The US Open runs through 08 September, a 15-day schedule. EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO

Cilic: “It’s a bit of a change-up year considering all the past years that these top four guys were making to the final. Wawrinka opened the doors for us from the ‘second’ line, and I think most of the guys have now bigger belief that they can do it [at] the Grand Slams. Just over here as well, Kei beat Wawrinka, beat Novak, and Milos, so played amazing, amazing tournament. I think it’s gonna be extremely interesting for the next several Grand Slams.”

Analysis: Nishikori has the head-to-head series edge and their recent Barcelona encounter was a blowout, but that can be attributed to a clay-court surface on which Cilic’s game does not work as well. Unless one of these two finalists collapses mentally amidst the weight of the occasion, it’s hard to imagine this one being anything but extremely competitive. Nishikori has put forth the effort of his life this fortnight, with five-set upsets of Raonic and Wawrinka before a Saturday stunner over Djokovic. Cilic is coming off ruthless beatdowns of Berdych and Federer.

As well as Nishikori has played, he survived both Raonic and Wawrinka by the slimmest of margins and benefited greatly from an off day by Djokovic. The world No. 11 will win most of the neutral baseline rallies but Cilic is serving huge and hitting massive groundstrokes, to extent that he should be able to hold serve on a consistent basis even against an awesome baseliner in Nishikori. One or two loose service games will make the difference, and those are more likely to come from Nishikori–in part because Cilic enjoyed the returning day of his life against Federer.

Kei Nishikori of Japan hits a return to Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland during their quarterfinals round match on the tenth day of the 2014 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 03 September 2014. The US Open runs through 08 September, a 15-day schedule. EPA/JASON SZENES

Pick: Cilic in 5

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

Topics: Federer, Kei Nishikori, Marin Cilic, Novak Djokovic, Rafa, Ricky Dimon, Tennis, US Open final

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10sBalls_com says:

September 7, 2014 at 10:18 pm

@keinishikori #CILIC SET TO CONTEST A MOST SURPRISING @usopen FINAL BY @RD_Tennistalk http://t.co/POdK5P1cim #tennis #USOpenFinal #Nishikori
RD_Tennistalk says:

September 8, 2014 at 6:08 am

RT @10sBalls_com: @keinishikori #CILIC SET TO CONTEST A MOST SURPRISING @usopen FINAL BY @RD_Tennistalk http://t.co/POdK5P1cim #tennis #USO…
CheekyGol says:

September 8, 2014 at 7:14 am

RT @10sBalls_com: @keinishikori #CILIC SET TO CONTEST A MOST SURPRISING @usopen FINAL BY @RD_Tennistalk http://t.co/POdK5P1cim #tennis #USO…