Kei Nishikori (4) takes on John Isner (22) in the ATP 1000 Miami Open quarter-finals. The Tennis Review previews the action and predicts the winner.
One of tennis’ best servers takes on one the game’s best returners in the Miami Open quarter-finals today. This will be the first meeting between the U.S’ highest ranked players and Japan’s highest ever ranked ATP tennis player.
Both men come into the last eight on the back of impressive runs. Nishikori’s has been impressive for it’s efficiency- the world no. 5 has not dropped more than 2 games in a set. Isner’s, meanwhile, has been remarkable for who he has beaten- none other than Nishikori’s generational peers Grigor Dimitrov and Milos Raonic.
Against Dimitrov, Isner faced a shot-making talent, and overwhelmned him with his serve. Playing Raonic, the American came up against another one of the game’s great serves, and edged him in a tiebreaker when Raonic took a risk, as you need to do in breakers, and came up short. Isner, meanwhile, stayed steady, held serve and made it through to his first Miami quarter-final on his eighth attempt.
Facing the Japanese, who is aiming to reach his second consecutive Miami semi-final, Isner’s serve comes up against a great return game. Isner won’t have too much coming back at him from his first delivery, but Nishikori will have something to say on the second.
Isner, though, won’t be putting in too many of those. In 2015, Isner has put in 71% of his first serves, won 84% of points behind that delivery, and saves 71% of break points. Perhaps, most ominously for his opponents, he wins 76% of his service games.
But, the 6ft9 Isner does get broken, and if anyone is going to break him, Nishikori is a likely candidate. The slow Miami hard court is good for his aggressive baseline game, and he is quite the shotmaker, too, so he will have plenty of time to take charge of points with stunning winners.
Nishikori is going to be the favorite in rallies, and he is going to have a shot when Isner does serve a second delivery, particularly of it is on break point- Nishikori wins 26 % of his return games, and converts 40 percent of his break points, too.
Nishikori also has a high chance of winning his service games, too- Nishikori wins 86 % of his service games, and the American only wins 8% of his return games.
This match, with both men having such strong weapons, is going to come down to the smallest of margins, and possibly in tiebreakers. At some point, the two are going to engage in a rally, and Nishikori is one of the game’s best from the back of the court. That quality will be the deciding one when this match comes down to decision time.
Prediction: Nishikori in three sets
Commentary by Christian Deverille @thetennisreview
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