tennis

Nishikori to face Djokovic in Australian Open quarterfinals

16 Comments
By JOHN PYE

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16 Comments
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Great stuff at the end, great job Houdini Kei!

You just knew it at 8-5 that that net core point was pivotal as CB went off his rocker. Had his ball simple gone out, rather than in, he would probably have won, ironically.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Agree. And he lost the match because of his reaction to it.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Great match! Kei-chan is getting stronger and stronger and fitter in the tournament. He will be hoping for another 5 set match, if it is I can't see Djokovic winning. Kei-chan has unmatched stamina!

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

Houdini Kei

He better be Houdini to beat Novak

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Well done, I watched the first 2 sets and thought Kei would lose the match.

Show this fighting spirit in the next round too.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Etiquette and class has left the game.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Watching a good on-court meltdown is always fun - and that photo at the top of this page is great! Nishikori powers through another match - well done by him. He's found a much better rhythm of late than in his first two matches at Melbourne. But 18 sets and 14 hours on court through only 4 rounds is not the recipe for Grand Slam success. His struggles with lesser opponents in the early rounds will be the end of his chances at this tournament. (Well, Djokovic will be the end of his chances at this tournament, but these two things aren't mutually exclusive.)

Raonic, however, has been the man of the tournament thusfar. He's had a ridiculously difficult draw and is somehow still alive in the tournament. Unbelievable tennis by him.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

fxgai: "Great stuff at the end, great job Houdini Kei!"

So, you're comparing Nishikori's wins to the work of an illusionist? Anyway, after being absent on all those threads where he was losing badly last year, good to see you back on the bandwagon.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

So, you're comparing Nishikori's wins to the work of an illusionist?

Only this win, and it was an escape act, not an illusion. (Illusions are those things that you constantly see, like in 2014 when you thought Nishikori was going to win the US Open any many more, and like when you thought his career was "done" this time a year ago.)

where he was losing badly last year

Where he was losing badly last year? He hasn't even been back a full season yet and he is back in the top 10 already. Top 10 players lose badly so often? Illusion again?

You must be champing at the bit to put the boot in, it's almost been a month of 2019 and Nishikori hasn't lost a single match so far this season. Must be tough for those who love to hate! I'll step aside and let you bask in the glory of a defeat to World No. 1 Djokovic tomorrow though (should that be the case), how's about that for fairness?

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Where he was losing badly last year?

...in his second consecutive calendar year with 0 titles? The level of denial has hit a new low.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

...in his second consecutive calendar year with 0 titles? 

lol, "Winning enough matches to return to the top 10 in less than a full season, but not winning any titles" is "losing badly"?

The level of denial has hit a new low.

Time to look in the mirror again... 

Even when Nishikori does win a title you complain it was of no significance.

Even when he's bagled an opponent in a set, you complain.

Even when Nishikori withstands 60 aces in a match and wins, you complain.

You can argue with the ATP rankings all you like, but the ATP rankings are independent and unequivocally illustrate that you are in denial. I'm just the messenger, deny the reality if you like... and then bask in Nishikori's probable defeat to Djokovic tomorrow, OK? Dream on!

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Absolutely riveting match last night. It went right to the wire, blow by blow, neither giving an inch. Such grit and determination by both players. A pity really that one of them had to win.

With the odds stacked clearly, everyone is expecting that Djokovic will win tomorrow.

Some people still harbour a secret wish that Kei can by some miracle of inner strength defeat Novak once more. And therein lies the pleasure of watching.

Anyways I am happy when tennis wins, and last night it did.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@fxgai:

Allow me to remind you of how the second half of 2018 went for Nishikori - not including the (understandable) post-injury issues he had early in the spring. Here's a list of all his major tournaments in the summer and fall, without skipping any: Canada Masters - L in 1st round (bad). Cincinnati Masters - L in 2nd round (bad). US Open - L in SF (good!). Shanghai Masters - L in 3rd match (bad). Paris Masters - L in 3rd match (bad). ATP Finals - L two of three matches in opening round, did not advance to next round (bad).

Perhaps we simply have different ways of defining "being successful." I think that a top-10 player ought to be regularly challenging for and winning major tournaments. Kei hasn't had a sniff in years. A top-10 player ought to be regularly challenging and beating the top players in the world. Kei's record against the top players has been so bad that even you have already conceded the upcoming Djokovic match before it even starts.

Then, how is Nishikori a top-10 player? It's simple. The men's game has a very, very small top tier of players, and then a very, very big tier of "other guys." Right now, #1 Djokovic has 9,135 points. #2 Nadal has 7,480. #Fed has 6,420. #4 Zverev has 6,385. #9 Nishikori has 3,750. That means that Nishikori is 3,000 points away from #4. 3,000 points the other way puts Nishikori at next to zero. Mathematically speaking, Nishikori is closer in ranking to @smithinjapan than he is to #4 Zverev - and forget about Novak.

And, despite your insistence, I do like Nishikori and I hope he does well. But objectively speaking, he hasn't been of late.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Good to see the occasional dummy spit! Zverev's will make for classic viewing for years to come.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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