Novak Djokovic will continue his bid for a second Masters 1000 title in as many weeks when he takes the court against Kei Nishikori on Saturday. Andy Murray and Lucas Pouille are also part of the semifinal schedule.
(1) Novak Djokovic vs. (6) Kei Nishikori
Djokovic and Nishikori will be facing each other for the 110th time in their careers, for the fourth time already this season, and for the second time in as many weeks when they meet again in the semifinals of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia on Saturday. The head-to-head series stands at 8-2 in favor of the top-ranked Serb, who dropped two of their first three encounters before reeling off seven wins in a row. Djokovic has taken 10 consecutive sets from Nishikori dating back to the third set of their 2015 Rome showdown, and he most recently prevailed 6-3, 7-6(4) seven days ago in Madrid.
The No. 1 seed has not been at his best in Rome, but he scraped past qualifier Stephane Robert 7-5, 7-5, recovered from a shocking bagel at the hands of Thomaz Bellucci to survive 0-6, 6-2, 6-3, and took down Rafael Nadal 7-5, 7-6(4) during quarterfinal action on Friday. Djokovic is 36-2 for his 2016 campaign with Masters 1000 titles in Indian Wells, Miami, and Madrid. Nishikori gave himself another shot at Djokovic by beating Viktor Troicki, Richard Gasquet, and Dominic Thiem, surrendering only one set to Troicki in the process. The world No. 6 is in stellar form this season, but he has been playing a lot of recent tennis and did not look 100 percent physically against either Troicki or Thiem. Another straight-set victory for Djokovic is not quite a certainty, but it’s close.
Pick: Djokovic in 2
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(LL) Lucas Pouille vs. (2) Andy Murray
Has anyone in Masters 1000 history enjoyed a more fortuitous route to a semifinal than Pouille? Probably not. The 22-year-old Frenchman lost to Mikhail Kukushkin in the final round of qualifying but ended up getting a lucky-loser spot in the main draw. Because the withdrawal came from No. 7 seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who had a bye, Pouille sailed straight into the second round. He promptly picked up wins over an ice-cold Ernests Gulbis and a rusty David Ferrer before the luck continued in the form of a walkover from Juan Monaco on Friday. Up to No. 52 in the word, Pouille owns 14 of his 29 career ATP-level match victories in 2016.
Up next for the underdog if a first-ever meeting with Murray, who has become a well-respected force on clay and is in especially impressive form on the red stuff at the moment. The third-ranked Scot is coming off a runner-up performance in Madrid and so far this week he has dismissed Kukushkin, Jeremy Chardy, and David Goffin without dropping set. This is a massive step up in competition–even from Ferrer–for Pouille, who has faced top-five opponents only twice in his career (straight-set losses to Nadal and Roger Federer).
Pick: Murray in 2 losing 7 games or fewer
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WWW?
.COM?
Lol www = will wally win?
Wafa will win or who will win?
Nishi and Pouille obviously.
Pouille the lottery winner. 360 points takes him up 20 points in the rolling ranks. Not sure where in the race — easy peasy.
Andy in 2 – losing less than 7 games.
Nole in 2 – I would pick Kei to make it closer but he doesn’t play his best vs Nole. Maybe that will change – Kei can surprise.
oops, 20 places in the ranks – not points! I’m finally watching Nole v Rafa match on Tennis Channel…
Novak should get the win over Nishi in 2 sets.
Murray will have an easy time of it against Pouille. Murray for the win in 2 sets winning 7 games or less.
Nole in straights. Nishi has had a solid clay court season and good week here in Rome but it should end in similar fashion to Madrid. He may test Novak but I don’t think Nole will struggle too much in the end. As for Murray and Pouille I think Andy wins in straights losing seven games or fewer. I would love to see Pouille make a match out of it or even win if but I don’t really see either of those happening especially the latter. Andy will probably win something along the lines of 3 and 3 or 4 and 3. Pouille has been a nice story this week though. Making the very most of lucky loser status that’s for sure. Grinding past gulbis, obliterating ferrer, and getting a walkover win over Monaco. He will be seeded for RG now, sitting at 31 in the rankings now. He makes it seven French seeds at RG. Hopefully some of them can do some damage. With the right draw I think Pouille can make a nice run. Not so much for a French seed like Chardy who is ranked 32 and will probably lose no later than round 3 or so if not earlier. Then again Jeremy was playing pretty well this week except he had a pretty weak finish with winning just four games off of Murray in the third round. Anyways my predictions are Djoker in two and Murray in two losing seven games or less. I’m rooting for a Pouille/Kei final though lol.
obviously Novak will win in 2 sets 🙁 …. but I wish Nishi to surprise and down that dominant Novak. No king stayed in his royal chair forever 🙂
after a massive year of winning all the big tournaments how come that his body is not tiered …. is he a robot ? he is continuing to win and win and win and win
Give me the answers Ricky …..
Nishi is injured and had an ice pack on his inner thigh saying he hoped it would be ok for semi.
Goshhhh – Kei. He’ll be ruined for FO again.
wow, did not know that…the Japanese will retire tonight giving Nole a free pass to the finals…that is what I call LUCK…
Maybe Nole engineered Nishi’s injury as Nole makes his own luck. I’m beginning to think he doesn’t only sleep in an egg box.
yeah, Novak was lucky thru all his career, LMAO
he is number ONE for so long by accident, just happened…..
no talent, no hard work, no practice, no difficult draw or competition at all
he was given everything on the plate, right?
oh,, wait, he is giving all of them PLATES, no?
Nishi suffer from injuries many time …. sad to hear
How can Jamie Delgado be Mooray’s coach?
Rome is crying for Rafa.
Andy’s got 1st set 62. And looks terrific with a Federer-like hold. Serving well.
Wet day in Rome…
If you blinked, then you missed this match. Andy had one of the easiest draws ever.
So I read that Nishi had to withdraw from the semis due to injury. He’s done this before. Novak gets a pass to the final.
Well, he didn’t do it intentionally to give Novak or anyone a pass. Kei’s body breaking down after a lot of tough matches unfortunately happens too much. Probably ruined himself for FO already. I was hoping Kei would go out early in Rome.
Nobody is saying Nishi did it intentionally. We all know that nishi is injury prone. He did have to withdrew at another tournament. I think it was Miami last year.
No need to take offense. It’s just too bad that it had to happen again. I like Nishi and wish that he did not have to deal with injuries so often.
I didn’t take offense. Sorry if I sounded that way.
Where did you hear/read that he withdrew, Nny? I can’t find it.
rc,
Thanks for clarifying! 🙂
I read it here on the site. People are talking about how lucky Novak was to get a walkover into the final. I read that it’s a thigh injury.
Is it not official?
Still can’t find anything official!
LOL, if I read it here, it’s not true, but I fell for it and got upset. April fools, I do hope.
I want some tennis!
Is Djoko making his own luck by having a WO?
Kei is playing. Where do you get this bs?
I get mine from bs.com.
Do you? Or don’t you.
? hawk. I do.
well done murry … 🙂 🙂 🙂
Kei isn’t injured wtf was everyone talking about? The match is about to start. Vamos Kei!!
I have no idea what that was all about! I just came on here and read that he withdrew.
Why would anyone make up something like that!
May the healthiest one win – Kei or Nole. Nole’s foot is bleeding? Kei questionable from the start.
Match is improving tho. Kei has a break for the moment.
rc,
I want to apologize to you, but all I knew was what I read on here. I have no clue as to why someone would make up a false story about Nishi here.
I am relieved to know that he’s playing. I am sorry to upset you. I guess that one cannot trust what is said here. Next time I will check somewhere else for confirmation.
It’s okay. It’s not your fault. I see what happened. Thanks. I’m obviously not in the best mood today (so far) but it has nothing to do with you, Nny. I ran with the rumor before checking as well. It got sorted.
This would be Kei’s chance to get a win – if he can somehow take it.
Nishi is hanging in there in the second set.
It’s been crazy with Novak almost hitting a ball kid and getting a warning. He’s really on edge.
yep. Beginning to think the real winner yesterday was Rafa. He gets to go rest and recuperate while Nole has go back to another day at the office with his mind is elsewhere. That’s my take on it, anyway. Perhaps the toughest 2 sets of tennis I’ve seen was that QF with Rafa.
Well? As I type, Nole has a set point. And gets it.
rc,
I read the score wrong initially and thought Novak won the first set 6-2. Then I realized that Nishi won the first set with such a lopsided score. That’s why Novak was on edge in the second set.
I think that the match with Rafa did take a lot out of Novak.
Oh, ?, yeah. Kei was on his way. I would have been very happy and relieved if Kei had won. Nole wasn’t sharing my feelings!
Nativenewyorker MAY 14, 2016 AT 7:17 PM
YOU were the first one to write here that Nishi withdrew! Posters who commented before you only predicted. LOL
what is wrong with Novak …. is he injured seriously
both are not playing good
first set ti nishi
maby Novak is tiered from playing Rafa yesterday ??????
it was an epic match
Nishi was locked in until he lost focus with such a bad miss on set point Novak and such an unlucky break with the net cord at 30-30 that gave Djoker chance to pounce and he hit a great dropper. Now 2-6 6-4 1-0 Nole Nishikori needs to hold here. C’mon Kei. Take down Nole and Andy. The fact that he’s still never won a masters 1000 is pretty disappointing considering he should’ve won when he was up like 6-2 4-2 on Rafa in 2014 Madrid final playing such great tennis bossing Rafa around and got that back injury midway through then lost 2-6 6-4 3-0 retired. And to this day still no masters title for Kei. I think he’s only made one other masters final since then too. Miami this season. Good thing is Kei really is quietly hitting peak form in 2016. He can do some real damage at RG. Run to SF very possible with the right draw imo. Especially if he got in like Stan’s quarter. If they played I would of course root for Stan but Kei would have a real shot at the SF he got in that section.
Break Djoker. If Kei is to somehow get this done he must break back now. And worst return ever at 15-30. Blown opportunity.
30-40 Kei cmon man break!!