#Kei Nishikori

[onscarlitos]

the only way montreal can redeem itself is kei, matteo, or hubi champion

[mortiflyer]

FOKI BEAT DANIIL? KEI BEAT TSITSIPAS????

[sheltoner]

yep, mhm, that is 100% kei nishikori. definitely

[luckofmylife]

kei nishikori enters the goat debate idk

[miss-wimbledon]

[a-swiss-and-a-spaniard]

Roger Federer | 24 hrs with Roger — Tokyo: Ueno Tosho-Gu

[tennis-out-of-context]

[rafasbiscuits]

the future fans will never experience how absolutely phenomenal Kei Nishikori was.

[stateofsport211]

📸 🎥 ATP Challenger Livestream (via website)

The second set was its own rollercoaster, especially toward the end of it. Some would have thought Nishikori could close it out, while classic Nishikori rollercoaster reappeared until the end of the match. Here was how everything unfolded.

Nishikori started the second set with a working volley (after going all the way through the baseline) to break early (1-0) at the second set. After Nishikori’s consolidations, Michael started to paint his own lines thanks to his cross-court forehand to set himself two points ahead before breaking back 2-2. However, Nishikori took this personally and broke back 3-2 thanks to his trademark backhand down-the-line winner. A backhand winner, which Michael got run over to, opened the path for Nishikori to equalize the point (2-3* to 15-15) before he held his service game 4-2. This was followed by him somehow having 2 break points that was converted thanks to a working drop shot (5-2).

Toward the end of the match, things happened, especially on Nishikori’s service games consistency. In the first try of serving it out, the tightness was still felt, and Michael started to step his game up, which peaked with a swift forehand return to break back 3-5. Almost breaking for the match instead, it was not sufficient for Nishikori because Michael ended up holding that service game 3-5, hence Nishikori had to serve for the championship for the second time. Somehow, Michael started to play loosely, pressing Nishikori from the baseline until he had a forehand winner to set himself 2 points ahead before another see-saw game (which involved Nishikori’s match point creation but non-converted, one of which due to a failed smash) resulted in Michael’s break to 5-5, thanks to his backhand down-the-line winner (where he definitely learned the reverse card from the best).

Avoiding the possibility of this match ended in a tie-breaker, Nishikori ended up breaking to 0 thanks to a baseline-oriented rally that ended with a working volley, especially in a defense-to-offense manner (6-5). The third time was the charm for Nishikori to finally serve it out, fittingly sealed the title with another volley to mark his first Challenger title since Dallas Challenger 2018, as well as his first tennis title after 20 months.

[mortiflyer]

kei nishikori save me...save me kei nishikori...they're all flops father forgive them

[luckofmylife]

(x)

[wimbledonstrawberry]

there is no tournament being played in Canada right now

[a-swiss-and-a-spaniard]

Roger Federer | 24 hrs with Roger — Tokyo: Nonbei Yoko-Cho

[tennis-out-of-context]