Kei Nishikori had his chances, especially when he led 15-40 on Djokovic’s serve at the beginning of the third and final set. But he couldn’t take them and his year ends with the minor embarrassment of being bageled by Djokovic, who, that second-set wobble aside, deserved to win. Tomorrow he’ll play the winner of tonight’s semi-final between Stan Wawrinka and Roger Federer. Thanks for reading. Bye.
Novak Djokovic wins 6-1, 3-6, 6-0 to reach the final!
Nishikori, clinging on for dear life, battles back from 0-30 down with a couple of superb shots to make it 30-all. Djokovic’s response? Forced out wide, he clumps a shuddering forehand from right to left past Nishikori to earn his first match point. He’s merciless and Nishikori, who looks spent, has nothing left. He double-faults and it’s a disappointing way to end what had appeared to be developing into a gripping match.
Third set: Djokovic* 6-1, 3-6, 5-0 Nishikori (*denotes server): Is Nishikori to suffer the ignominy of a bagel?
Third set: Djokovic 6-1, 3-6, 4-0 Nishikori* (*denotes server): Nishikori is in danger of fading, two double-faults taking this game to deuce. His serve looks to have deserted him and soon Djokovic has a break point after putting away a forehand. Nishikori nets a backhand and he flings his racket to the floor in frustration.
Third set: Djokovic* 6-1, 3-6, 3-0 Nishikori (*denotes server): Djokovic holds. Nishikori is in trouble again. Has he got anything left?
Third set: Djokovic 6-1, 3-6, 2-0 Nishikori* (*denotes server): Wouldn’t you just know it? Having wasted two break points in the previous game, Nishikori falters on his own serve. He produces a double-fault and then knocks a duff forehand past the baseline to give Djokovic a break point. Sure enough, a backhand goes long. Nishikori challenges, but in vain. Djokovic break and Nishikori is going to have to come up with something special from here.
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Third set: Djokovic* 6-1, 3-6, 1-0 Nishikori (*denotes server): I return from my toilet break to find that Nishikori is up 0-30 on Djokovic’s serve. That’s the cue for Nishikori to lose the next point but he gathers himself on the next one and Djokovic, knocked off balance, skews a forehand wide to give up two break points. Yet Nishikori can’t capitalise. He nets a forehand, then a backhand, and we go to deuce, Djokovic let off the hook. From there, Djokovic holds. Nishikori may look back at this game and wonder if he loses this match.
Nishikori wins the second set 6-3 to make it 1-1 in sets
Nishikori was a set and a break down not so long ago but now he’s serving for the second set. Two aces, his first of the match, makes it 30-15. Djokovic challenges the second but the call stands. Nishikori only needs two more points; one when Djokovic nets a backhand - and he gets it when Djokovic sends a forehand return wide! For the second successive match, we’re going the distance. And to think people were complaining about a lack of competitiveness.
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Second set: Djokovic* 6-1, 3-5 Nishikori (*denotes server): Andrew Castle and Tim Henman are having banter about birthdays. Castle asks Henman how old he is. “Forty,” says Henman. “I’m still waiting for my present.” Ha! “Well hang on,” Castle splutters. “It’s my birthday today and you haven’t got me anything.” “Oh,” says Henman. “How old? 58? 57?” This is great banter. Eventually Castle makes sure that Henman did receive his present and Henman points out that they should look at the tennis, with Nishikori up 0-15. Then he’s up 15-30. A big serve from Djokovic makes it 30-all but he then mishits a forehand and Nishikori charges forward to crush a forehand down the line, earning a break point at 30-40. Can he take it? He can! He tries a drop shot. Djokovic gets there and prods it down the line. He tries a lob. Djokovic gets it back. So he goes back to basics and skelps a forehand past Djokovic to break again! Nishikori will serve for the second set.
Second set: Djokovic 6-1, 3-4 Nishikori* (*denotes server): This is getting interesting. Nishikori holds to 30. He won’t want to get carried away but he might just be thinking about winning the second set. Or, at the very least, forcing a tie-break!
Second set: Djokovic* 6-1, 3-3 Nishikori (*denotes server): The mood is changing. The feeling is growing that there’s something in this for Nishikori as he wallops a forehand winner on to the line and out of Djokovic’s grasp to make it 0-15. Djokovic’s response is venomous, though. After getting a little lucky with a kindly net cord that made it 15-all, he sends a searing backhand pass beyond Nishikori for 30-15. That’s too good. But Nishikori is refusing to lie down and takes the ball early on the next point, hitting a forehand down the line to make it 30-all. Here, he’s two points away from another break. But Djokovic holds him off and holds to 30.
Second set: Djokovic 6-1, 2-3 Nishikori* (*denotes server): Nishikori holds to 15. That’s the first time he has won consecutive service games. The only blip was when he tried a rubbish drop shot at 30-0 and lost the point but he got over it, winning the next two points with impressive forehands. He walks back to his chair and asks his trainer to check his wrist quickly.
Second set: Djokovic* 6-1, 2-2 Nishikori (*denotes server): Djokovic forgets about that nasty crowd and holds to love. All better.
Second set: Djokovic 6-1, 1-2 Nishikori* (*denotes server): Nishikori holds! Is the tide turning? Is Djokovic, king of the sarcastic applause, about to lose focus?
Second set: Djokovic* 6-1, 1-1 Nishikori (*denotes server): The fans, desperate to see something resembling a contest, are trying their best to encourage Nishikori. They cheer when he wins the first point. But they sigh when he loses the second, sending a backhand down the line wide to make it 15-all. The next two points are shared - and then Djokovic nets a forehand to give Nishikori a break point and promptly double-faults. Well! I don’t think anyone saw that coming. Djokovic sarcastically applauds the crowd. But they didn’t make him miss those two serves.
Second set: Djokovic 6-1, 1-0 Nishikori* (*denotes server): Nishikori begins the second set with a double-fault, which isn’t ideal. The crowd is in a huff but they find their voices again when Nishikori whacks a forehand past Djokovic to make it 15-all and win his first point on a second serve. Is it a sign of things to come? Er, no. Djokovic wins the next two points to earn two break points and although Nishikori saves the first with a fine forehand winner, he can’t save the second, blootering a forehand long. Djokovic breaks.
Novak Djokovic wins the first set 6-1
Nishikori has a look at a second serve on the first point but he’s too anxious and nets his forehand return. 15-0. Djokovic then has him scampering across the baseline and it’s 30-0, before a punchy volley makes it 40-0. This is a tennis lesson. If anything, it’s too easy - as Djokovic proves when he somehow fluffs the easiest volley you could possibly have asked for on set point, sending it long. He grins, absorbs the error, gets over it and wins the set when Nishikori sends a return long. Djokovic is one set from reaching the final again. That set lasted 23 minutes.
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First set: Djokovic 5-1 Nishikori* (*denotes server): Nishikori already has a forlorn look on his face as he blocks a backhand long on the first point, before drifting a forehand past the baseline to make it 0-30. Djokovic is threatening to run away with this but then, incredibly, he misses an easy volley and a makable forehand to bring it back to 30-all. But then Nishikori picks a bad time to throw in a double-fault. It’s 30-40. It’s a break point. And it’s saved! Nishikori rips a forehand into the right corner and Djokovic slices long. But he gets another chance when Nishikori nets a backhand and a forceful forehand approach shot from Djokovic forces the error from the Japanese player. Djokovic breaks again and will serve for the first set.
First set: Djokovic* 4-1 Nishikori (*denotes server): Suddenly Nishikori is peering up a mountain, trying to work out how to get to the top. It’s going to be a long old climb if he wants to get there. Djokovic holds to love and it’s difficult to see how he can be stopped. He has made one unforced error in the first 25 points.
First set: Djokovic 3-1 Nishikori* (*denotes server): Nishikori rushes to the net when a Djokovic return clips the net cord and lands short. He doesn’t do enough with his approach shot, though, and Djokovic picks him off easily with a forehand down the line to make it 0-15. That spells trouble, two patchy shots from Nishikori giving Djokovic two break points at 15-40. Nishikori saves the first with an excellent first, but not the second. He does everything within his power to frustrate Djokovic but having worked himself into a good position to bring the game to deuce with a backhand volley, he sends it wide and Djokovic breaks! Nishikori will be frustrated but you have to hand it to Djokovic for the way he defended there.
Meanwhile Stan Wawrinka has been engaging in banter with a parody account.
@PseudoFed why home? I want to go to Lille? #dontforget #daviscupfinal #weneedyou
— Stanislas Wawrinka (@stanwawrinka) November 15, 2014
First set: Djokovic* 2-1 Nishikori (*denotes server): Djokovic begins with an ace. 15-0. Soon it’s 40-0. An ace polishes off a regulation hold.
First set: Djokovic 1-1 Nishikori* (*denotes server): The camera picks out Michael Chang, Nishikori’s coach. He’s giving nothing away. He refuses to pull a funny face. Spoilsport. Anyway, the first two points are shared, Nishikori shaking his head when he nets a backhand to make it 15-all, before Djokovic comes out on top in a see-sawing rally. 15-30. Nishikori could do with a solid serve here. And he gets one. 30-all. Then, a minor classic. Djokovic slips and slides three times to repel Nishikori advances out wide - but he has no answer when Nishikori finds his range and cracks a brilliant cross-court backhand from left to right, away for a winner. He holds with a big serve.
First set: Djokovic* 1-0 Nishikori (*denotes server): Djokovic is immediately into his stride, charging on to a short pull and pinging a forehand into the left corner. 15-0. Then we wait a moment while the umpire admonishes someone in the crowd for using flash photography. Why are people so stupid? Your answers on a postcard - or in an email. We move on, though, and soon Djokovic has roared into a 40-15 lead. Nishikori nets a backhand and that’s that. A comfortable hold for the world No1. “I’d be surprised if Nishikori wins today, but then I thought Murray was going to beat Federer on Thursday, and reckon that Scotland will take 50 points off the All Blacks later today,” says Simon McMahon, the hopeless romantic.
And ... play!
“Most definitely, Novak “The Super Grover/Beast” is the king of the court,” says Percy Sibusiso. “He’s breaking records like Bayern Munich/Germany...”
So, the other day I happened to be watching Novak Djokovic against Stanislas Wawrinka and when I turned to my right, I realised that I was sitting next to Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny - I know, get me. He seemed to be enjoying himself - well, look who he was sitting next to - and so I wondered what top athletes feel when they watch people excelling at other sports. Awe?
Kei Nishikori wins the toss and elects to receive first. Now the players will knock up. There is more music.
The players are out. There is music. Because it’s sport. Sport needs music. Sport is not fun to watch unless an idiot is blasting music at you.
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Sue Barker is speaking breathlessly as the cameras follows her around various corridors. There is music.
If Nishikori plays as he did against Djokovic in their US Open semi-final, then we could witness something special. But it’s a tall order, especially on a slowish court that seems suited to Djokovic’s game. Nishikori has only flickered this week and has been carrying a wrist injury. And Djokovic won 6-2, 6-3 when they met at the Paris Masters a few weeks ago. Does anyone think Nishikori can do this?
Preamble
Afternoon there. Novak Djokovic may have won the Elastic World Championships for the fifth year running but when it comes to tennis, this guy bends for no man. He’s not budging! There’s no budging him! Djokovic will not budge! Want him to move? He’s not going to move! The rest of the field can try to manoeuvre him out of their way all they like but it doesn’t matter. Whether they like it or not, the tennis world currently revolves around Novak Djokovic.
He is both a startling physical specimen and a tennis boffin, skillful and resilient, a quick thinker and a quick mover, capable of turning defence into attack in the blink of an eye. Djokovic has been outstanding over the past week. He won his three group matches in a manner that suggested he would not have been impeded by wearing a blindfold and yesterday’s breezy victory over Tomas Berdych confirmed that he will end the year as the world No1 for the third time in the past four years. Can anyone stop his charge to the title?
Well, maybe Kei Nishikori. He reminds us that it has not always gone Djokovic’s way this year - just think back to the US Open, when Nishikori played out of his skin to reach the final at Djokovic’s expense. Yet it will take a performance of similar proportions for Nishikori to deny Djokovic this afternoon. My neck-on-the-line prediction: Djokovic in two stress-free sets.
Play begins at: 2pmish.
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