Nishikori, Lopez clash for U.S. Indoors title

A third career title is at stake when Kei Nishikori and Feliciano Lopez collide in the Memphis final on Sunday. Nishikori won a 500 title last fall in Tokyo.

Kei Nishikori and Feliciano Lopez will be going head-to-head for the second time in their careers when they battle for the title at the U.S. National Indoor Tennis Championships on Sunday afternoon. Lopez won their only previous encounter 6-4, 7-6(5) two years ago on the clay courts of Barcelona.

Both men are right at home on this hard-court surface and playing stellar tennis. Nishikori has not dropped a single set in Memphis while getting past Illya Marchenko, Donald Young, Marin Cilic, and Marinko Matosevic. The world No. 22 is an outstanding 10-2 for his 2013 campaign.

“He is a great player,” Lopez said of his opponent. “I think it’s going to be a tough match. He’s very fast-moving all around the court and I have be aggressive and play my best tennis if I want to win. You have to take the opportunities when they come.”

Lopez endured a slow start to the season because of a wrist injury, but–as always–he is showing his best stuff indoors. The 31-year-old Spaniard has bookend three-set wins this week over Benjamin Becker and Denis Istomin. In between he got a walkover from Tommy Haas and dismissed Jack Sock 6-4, 6-3 on Friday night. Lopez is a decent 5-3 for the year.

The fast court will give Lopez a shot, but Nishikori has been the class of this field from start to finish–or at least to the finish line. Look for the Japanese star to prevail in three sets.

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