Friends Wawrinka, Paire Face Off In Tokyo
FINAL PREVIEW: Top seed Stan Wawrinka attempts to capture a career-best fourth title of the season as he takes on unseeded Benoit Paire. Both players are appearing in their first Japan Open final. Wawrinka comes in with a 4-1 FedEx ATP Head to Head record against Paire, started the season outside the Top 100. Wawrinka, who is 3-0 in finals this season, is trying to become the first Swiss winner in Tokyo since Roger Federer in 2006 (d. Henman). He is making his 20th career final appearance (10-9), having won his last six in the last two years. Paire is the first Frenchman to reach the Japan Open final since Gael Monfils in 2010 (l. to Nadal). The last French winner was Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2009 when he beat Russian Mikhail Youzhny, who was the last unseeded finalist here. The last unseeded Japan Open champion was South African Wesley Moodie in 2005 (d. Ancic). Paire, who beat local favorite Kei Nishikori in the semi-finals in his fourth straight three-set match, is trying to capture his second career ATP World Tour title after winning his maiden crown in Bastad in July (d. Robredo). He is 1-2 in career ATP World Tour finals.
STATS HEADING INTO THE FINAL:
|
STATISTICS |
WAWRINKA |
PAIRE |
|
ACES |
35 |
37 |
|
1st SERVE % |
55% |
51% |
|
1st SERVE POINTS WON |
77% |
82% |
|
2nd SERVE POINTS WON |
60% |
45% |
|
SERVICE GAMES WON |
87% (40 of 46) |
83% (44 of 53) |
|
BREAK POINTS SAVED |
57% (8 of 14) |
73% (24 of 33) |
|
RETURN GAMES WON |
26% (11 of 43) |
26% (14 of 53) |
|
BREAK POINTS CONVERTED |
50% (11 of 22) |
47% (14 of 30) |
STAN WAWRINKA
• No. 2 Swiss is into first Tokyo final after beating Stepanek 75 63, [WC], Ito 63 26 64, [Q] Krajicek 63 64 and Muller 64 76(5). Has held 40 of 46 service games this week (87%) and converted 11 of 22 break points (50%)
• The 30-year-old captured his second Grand Slam title at Roland Garros (d. No. 2 Federer in QF, No. 1 Djokovic in final) to become oldest champion of event since Gomez in 1990
• Winner of 10 career titles, including Chennai (d. Bedene) and Rotterdam (d. No. 7 Berdych) in 2015. Has won 6 titles in 2014-15 and 4 from 2006-13. Has not lost in a final since 2013 ‘s-Hertogenbosch (l. to Mahut)
• Trying to become 22nd 30 & over winner this season on ATP World Tour (most since 25 in 1975)
• In Australian Open title defense, reached semi-finals in Melbourne (d. No. 5 Nishikori, l. to No. 1 Djokovic in 5 sets)
• Reached Wimbledon quarter-finals for 2nd straight year, matching career-best showing (l. to Gasquet in 5 sets)
• Advanced to US Open semi-finals for 2nd time (also 2013), falling to countryman Federer
• Earned 2nd career win in 14 meetings vs. Nadal in Rome QF (l. to Federer in SF)
• Withdrew from last event in Metz with right ankle injury (w/o vs. Kohlschreiber in QF)
2015 ATP WORLD TOUR MATCH WINS LEADERS
|
Rank |
Player |
2015 W-L |
Titles |
|
1 |
Novak Djokovic |
67-5 |
7 |
|
2 |
Andy Murray |
61-10 |
4 |
|
3 |
Roger Federer |
53-8 |
5 |
|
4 |
Kei Nishikori |
51-12 |
3 |
|
T5 |
Rafael Nadal |
49-15 |
3 |
|
T5 |
Tomas Berdych |
49-17 |
1 |
|
T7 |
David Ferrer |
47-11 |
4 |
|
T7 |
Stan Wawrinka |
47-13 |
3 |
|
T9 |
Kevin Anderson |
39-20 |
1 |
|
T9 |
John Isner |
39-21 |
1 |
|
T9 |
Gilles Simon |
39-21 |
1 |
Bold denotes player in Final on Sunday
BENOIT PAIRE
The 26-year-old Frenchman is into first Tokyo final after consecutive three-set wins over No. 8 seed Dimitrov (64 36 61), Baghdatis (63 26 75), Kyrgios (36 64 61) and No. 2 Nishikori 16 64 62
• Leads all Tokyo players by winning 61% of 2nd-serve return points. Has also won 82% of his first-serve points but only winning 45 per cent of 2nd-serve points. Has been broken nine times (44 of 53 games) while converting 14 of 30 break points (47%)
• Frenchmen are 6-6 in ATP World Tour finals this season after going 2-7 last year. Paire is one of five different French winners in 2015: Gasquet (2), Mahut, Simon and Tsonga
• Up to No. 32 from 2014 year-end ranking of No. 118 after becoming 1st player since Darcis in 2007 to win a Futures, Challenger and ATP World Tour title in same season. Will move to around No. 25 in Emirates ATP Rankings and to around a career-high No. 18 if he wins the title. Has already moved to 19th in the Race and will go to 16th if he wins the title
• Won first ATP World Tour title without dropping a set at Bastad in July (d. Goffin in 2R and Robredo in final). He is last of six first-time winners this season
• Posted career-best Grand Slam result by advancing to US Open fourth round, saving two match points in first-round win over No. 4 Nishikori (l. to Tsonga). It was his third career Top 10 win (4-16 career record after 2nd Nishikori win here)
• Also reached Roland Garros third round (l. to No. 4 Berdych) and Wimbledon second round (l. to Bautista Agut). Failed to qualify at Australian Open (l. to Ymer in Q1)
• In January, won Bressuire, FRA Futures title while ranked No. 135 (d. Teixeira)
• In February, captured Bergamo, ITA Challenger title while ranked No. 143 (d. Nedovyesov)
• In March, added Quimper, FRA Challenger title (d. Barrere)
DOUBLES FINAL
Juan Sebastian Cabal (COL)/Robert Farah (COL) vs. [3] Raven Klaasen (RSA)/Marcelo Melo (BRA)
• Unseeded Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah of Colombia take on No. 3 seeds and the first-time pairing of Raven Klaasen of South Africa and Marcelo Melo of Brazil
• Cabal and Farah are contesting their fifth ATP World Tour final (2-2) of the year. They are No. 11 in the Emirates ATP Doubles Team Rankings. They have won titles in Sao Paulo and Geneva this season and reached the final at Bastad (l to Chardy/Kubot) and Hamburg (l. to J. Murray/Peers). The 29-year-old Cabal is appearing in his 15th career ATP World Tour doubles final (4-10 record). The 28-year-old Farah is appearing in his 13th career ATP World Tour doubles final (4-8 record)
• Klaasen and Melo are teaming up together for the first time this week. Klaasen, who won a title in the second week of the season in Auckland (w/Paes), is appearing in his seventh final this year (2-4). In June, he won the grass title in Halle (w/Ram). He also was runner-up last week in Kuala Lumpur (w/Ram) and earlier this season a finalist in Chennai and Delray Beach (both w/Paes) and Geneva (w/Lu). He is 7-6 lifetime in finals. Melo is 15-18 in career finals (2-1 this season). He won titles in Acapulco and Roland Garros while reaching the final in Washington (w/Dodig)