Wawrinka no match for Nishikori in semis
Third seed takes command after touch-and-go start against Swiss favourite
With their man trailing by three games in the second set of his Rogers Cup semifinal, fans of Stan Wawrinka sensed his spirits sagging and mobilized to pep him up.
In the upper deck of the Aviva Centre’s north stands someone unfurled a Swiss flag. Another shouted out to him: “Don’t give up, Stan!”
The tournament’s second seed answered that call with a 216-km/h serve Kei Nishikori couldn’t return.
Nishikori then offered an emphatic, extended response, winning three of the next four games and taking the semifinal 7-6, 6-1.
“After that set he started . . . playing alittle bit slow and down,” said Nishikori, currently sixth in the ATP world rankings.
“I knew I had to step it up. Otherwise he’s going to come back. . . . But yeah, first set it was really tight games. Happy to win today.”
The victory positions Nishikori for the first ATP Masters series title of his nine-year pro career.
Eliminating Wawrinka doesn’t constitute a major upset for Nishikori, the third seed. But entering Saturday, Wawrinka had won three of their four previous meetings, including a straight-sets quarter-final win at the 2015 Australian Open.
And the final score represents a mild surprise.
After a tight first set settled by a tiebreaker, Nishikori shifted gears and spent the second half beating Wawrinka to the punch.
The 26-year-old Nishikori won 72 per cent of first-serve points, 63 per cent off the second serve, and 57 per cent overall.
“I tried to play more . . . patient,” he said. “If (I) gave him a chance . . . he’s a top player, so he’s gonna come back strong. So I tried to play (with) more intensity and, yeah, it’s great to finish early like this today.”
Saturday’s win represents a breakthrough for Nishikori, who advances to his first Rogers Cup final after losing in the semis last summer. He will take on Novak Djokovic (against whom he’s 2-9).
Wawrinka, meanwhile, will head home to regroup before travelling to Rio for the Olympic tournament.
Friday afternoon he conducted a clinic against South Africa’s Kevin Anderson, winning 6-1, 6-3 in a match he called his best of the year. But less than a day later, the 31-yearold found himself out of rhythm and squandering quality chances against an opponent who punished each mistake.
Wawrinka led the first set 5-2 before Nishikori swept the next three games.
And a point after his emphatic second-set ace, Wawrinka lined up a potential backhand winner against an out-of-position Nishikori, only to steer the shot wide right.
His supporters groaned, and Wawrinka pulled his shirt up over his face in frustration.
“You don’t feel good on the court when you miss that kind of shot. It can happen,” he said. “I’m quite disappointed, especially with the way I played with that first set and also the second set. I shouldn’t let it go.
“I had a lot of opportunity that I could have done better, but he won the match and that’s it.”