By Chris Oddo | Monday, January 26, 2015

 

Kei Nishikori ran David Ferrer ragged on Day 8, lashing 43 winners en route to a straight-sets victory.

Photo Source: Corleve

Kei Nishikori is through to the Australian Open quarterfinals for the second time in his career after a one-sided 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 takedown of David Ferrer on Day 8.

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The No. 5 seed was in control from the onset, jerking Ferrer from side to side as if he were a puppet on a string and drilling 43 winners against only 14 for the Spaniard.

Nishikori’s win is his fifth in a row against Ferrer. All of the previous four went to a deciding third set. This one, says Nishikori, was decidedly more breezy.

“Yeah, actually felt little bit weird on the court because I usually play three or five sets all the time against him,” Nishikori said. “Yeah, play really comfortable on the court. I [had] a lot of confidence going on to this match, and I was playing, you know, almost 100% tennis, really aggressive, good forehand, and serving also was really well. So, yeah, it's not like always favorite to play against him. But today was little bit different, different game.”

Nishikori will next face defending champion Stan Wawrinka. The Swiss No. 2 knocked off Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in four sets for his 11th consecutive Australian Open win.

Nishikori defeated Wawrinka in a five-set classic at last year’s US Open and eventually landed in the final at that event. It was that run of three straight victories against top 10 opposition that seem to have changed something in the demeanor of the 25-year-old.

Nishikori says that while the victory over Wawrinka will help him this week in Melbourne, it was an extremely close match and he’s ready for another battle when they meet in the quarterfinals.

“The only thing I know is it's going to be tough match,” he said. “Yeah, for sure [defeating him at the US Open] gives me confidence. I beat him, you know, in the US Open. It's not like I can't beat him. It's going to be a fun match for sure.”

“He's a tough, tough player,” Wawrinka said of Nishikori. “He improve a lot last year. He can make winners. He's always taking the ball really early. It's always tough to play against him. He doesn't give you a lot of time.”

But Wawrinka believes if he unleashes his most physical, determined game, he can make inroads against Nishikori.

“It's a new year,” he said. “Different condition if I have to play him. And it will depends a little bit on me; the way I'm going to serve, the way I'm aggressive from the baseline. If I can play heavy, if I can play my game, it's tough for him to always take the ball early. We'll see how I'm going to deal with that.”