A relatively surprising bottom-half U.S. Open semifinal will pit Stan Wawrinka against Kei Nishikori on Friday. Nishikori is coming off a five-set victory over Andy Murray. The winner of this match will battle either Novak Djokovic or Gael Monfils for the title.
Stan Wawrinka and Kei Nishikori will be facing each other for the sixth time in their careers and for the second time at the U.S. Open when they battle for a place in the title match on Friday.
Wawrinka is leading the head-to-head series 3-2, but he has lost two of their last three encounters dating back to the quarterfinals of this event in 2014. That one certainly did not disappoint, as Nishikori picked up a 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(7), 6-7(5), 6-4 victory on the way to his first and so far only Grand Slam final appearance. Interestingly, all of their other four matchups ended in straight sets–including a 7-6(6), 6-1 decision in Nishikori’s favor earlier this summer in Toronto.
It has been full speed ahead for Japan’s top player since finishing runner-up to Novak Djokovic in Toronto, as he captured the bronze medal at the Rio Olympics and now finds himself in the U.S. Open semis. Nishikori booked his spot in the last four by beating Benjamin Becker, Karen Khachanov, Nicolas Mahut, Ivo Karlovic, and Andy Murray. The world No. 7 was especially impressive in a straight-set beatdown of Karlovic and a 1-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 triumph over Andy Murray on Wednesday afternoon.
Wawrinka is on a second life of sorts in Flushing Meadows. The third-ranked Swiss came within one point of crashing out in round three but he staved off defeat in the fourth set against Dan Evans and eventually prevailed 4-6, 6-3, 6-7(6), 7-6(8), 6-2. He has also taken out Fernando Verdasco, Alessandro Giannessi, Illya Marchenko, and Juan Martin Del Potro. Wawrinka is a respectable 37-12 this year, but he has not reached a final since Geneva in mid-May and he was just 5-5 in his last 10 matches prior to the U.S. Open.
“It’s going to be interesting, for sure,” the No. 3 seed said. “We (have) played many times against each other. I saw him play [against Murray]; he was playing really well. It’s going to be tough match. We will see also how I’m going to feel physically in two days to get ready for that.”
When healthy, which he is right now, Nishikori has never had physical problems dealing with tough matches. Two summers ago, for example, he won consecutive five-setters against Milos Raonic and Wawrinka before upsetting Djokovic in the semis. Based on current form, the way Nishikori handled his 2014 semifinal, and the fact that he is 5-0 lifetime against top-1o opponents at this event, he should have an ever-so-slight edge.
Pick: Nishikori in 5
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