Djokovic increases Asian domination, Nishikori holds off Raonic

Novak Djokovic improved to a perfect 24-0 lifetime at the China Open and he almost did it with a perfect scoreline. Djokovic served for a double-bagel against Tomas Berdych in Sunday’s final and he even had a match point in the 12th game to complete it before finally surrendering two games in succession.

Still, the Serb easily got the job done 6-0, 6-2 after a mere one hour and six minutes. As the aforementioned record suggests, it is his fifth Beijing title in as many appearances.

Djokovic fired four aces compared to just one double-fault while serving at 71 percent. The top seed won 62 percent of the points even when he had to throw in a second serve. Berdych was undone by winning a dreadful four of 18 second-serve points.

At the Rakuten Japan Open, meanwhile, fans went home happy after witnessing a much more competitive match. Hometown hero Kei Nishikori fought past Milos Raonic 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-4 for his second Tokyo winner’s trophy.

The in-form Japanese star finished runner-up at the U.S. Open, won last week’s Kuala Lumpur title, and now this triumph has his chances looking extremely favorable for a World Tour Finals berth. Nishikori, who also needed three sets to survive Benjamin Becker in the Tokyo semis, outlasted Raonic in two hours an 12 minutes.

“I think it was one of my toughest games against Milos,” Nishikori reflected. “I am really happy to win. It’s the first time I have won a title two weeks in a row.”

The No. 4 seed took the first set with a perfect passing shot at 6-5 in the tiebreaker. Raonic answered by earning one break in the second frame of play, during which he surrendered only five points in five service games. In the end, however, the big-serving Canadian cracked at 4-5 in the third. Nishikori seized his first break when it mattered most to secure his seventh career ATP title.