Anderson Spoils Nishikori’s Tour-Level Return

It was the perfect storyline. Kei Nishikori, who entered the inaugural New York Open without having played a tour-level match since last August due to a wrist injury, was on the verge of making his first ATP World Tour final since 2017 Buenos Aires. 

But top seed Kevin Anderson had something to say about that on Saturday evening, winning six of the final seven points in their semi-final to end Nishikori’s run 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(4). The South African guaranteed his return to the Top 10 of the ATP Rankings as he pursues his first ATP World Tour title since 2015 Winston-Salem. 

“It feels great,” Anderson said. “I didn’t even know that going into it. I know I’ve been close for the last few months. Obviously it’s a great accomplishment being in the Top 10. I was there for just a week a couple years ago and I had a few challenges to face. But I’ve worked really, really hard to get back to this spot.”

It is the 31-year-old’s fourth tour-level final since last August (0-3). Anderson most recently fell in the final of the Tata Open Maharashtra in Pune against Gilles Simon to open his 2018 ATP World Tour campaign.

Nishikori appeared to have the momentum in the third set, and a 5-1 lead in the pair’s FedEx ATP Head2Head series perhaps gave the 28-year-old the edge. But the big-serving Anderson snuffed out a break point at 3-3 with a booming ace and was the steadier player in the decisive tie-break to close out the match.

“I thought I got off to a great start,” Anderson said. “It got really close in the third set. No breaks of serve. I had to fight off one or two close serve games, but put myself in a good spot in a third-set tie-break… I’m really, really pleased to get through today.”

It was still an impressive week for Nishikori, who won the Memphis Open four straight times (2013-2016) before the tournament moved to Long Island this year. Anderson will face a familiar foe in the final.

Second seed Sam Querrey entered Saturday’s semi-finals without a FedEx ATP Head2Head series victory against Adrian Mannarino in three tries.

But Querrey turned around a streak of five consecutive sets lost against the Frenchman to eliminate the left-hander 6-7(5), 7-5, 6-3, moving into his first final since winning the Abierto Mexicano de Tenis Mifel presentado por Cinemex last August.

“It feels like I beat Rafa[el Nadal] out there. That guy’s always been so tricky. I know it’s my first time beating him and it feels good. I’m so happy to get through that and be in the final. I’m really excited.”

Querrey hit 21 aces to advance to his 18th ATP World Tour final (10-7). He has won his last three championship matches (2016 Delray Beach, 2017 Acapulco, 2017 Los Cabos).

At World No. 25, Mannarino remains the current highest-ranked player without an ATP World Tour title.

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“I think that he was playing well from the middle of the second set,” Mannarino said. “He took his chances in the best moments, so he deserved that win.”

Querrey leads Anderson 8-7 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series, but the South African has triumphed three of their past four meetings. The American won their only previous match on an indoor hard court, winning their second-round battle at 2012 Memphis.

Did You Know?
Kevin Anderson guaranteed his return to the Top 10 of the ATP Rankings for the first time since the week of 12 October 2015. If he beats Querrey on Sunday, the South African will achieve a career-best No. 9.