By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, November 19, 2015
Roger Federer converted all six break points he earned, beating Kei Nishikori, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 at the World Tour Finals.
Photo credit: CameraSport
The pristine black-and-blue Nike shirt on his back paired with the prickly beard stubble on his face infused Roger Federer with a tough elegance on court today.
The six-time tournament champion dispensed magic and menace overcoming a messy second set and stubborn Kei Nishikori, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, to wrap up World Tour Finals round-robin play with a perfect 3-0 record.
Video: Even Roger Federer Messes Up
A couple of days after snapping world No. 1 Novak Djokovic's 23-match winning streak, Federer's victory virtually assures the top seed of a semifinal berth. The only way Djokovic won't join Rafael Nadal and Federer in the final four is if he loses tonight's match to Tomas Berdych in straight sets.
This first meeting between Federer and Nishikori since the 17-time Grand Slam champion's straight-sets win at the 2014 World Tour Finals, provided both wild momentum shifts and wildly entertaining shot-making.
At times, Federer was in full flight, blasting a 93 mph backhand winner, winning the thrill-ride point of the tournament to help close the opening set, executing a SABR beautifully, converting all six break points and closing with an emphatic forehand-smash combination.
On other occasions, the Swiss' game was decidedly unruly. Federer suffered a five-game second-set slide, made an absolutely mess of a forehand sitter and won just three of 15 second-serve points in the final set.
Quickness around the court, blurring hand speed and the skill to straddle the baseline and take the ball on the rise are all Nishikori strengths. Whipping his two-hander to Federer's one-handed backhand can be a winning pattern for Nishikori. But he overplayed it. Federer used the low slice to draw a pair of backhand errors earning the first break for 3-1.
Dodging two break points, Federer sent a flat backhand into net, punctuating the error with a prolonged "noooo!" He netted a forehand volley to give back the break.
Racing left well behind the baseline, Nishikori bolted a backhand pass crosscourt that left a confounded Federer at a stand still for two more break points. Stepping in, Nishikori pounded an inside-out forehand pass for his second straight break and 4-3 advantage.
Cranking up the pace of his forehand, Federer forced a cluster of forehand errors from Nishikori, including a wild one from that wing as the third seed broke back for 4-all. Federer's feel and Nishikori's shrewd anticipation and sheer speed produce a dazzling point as the Japanese ran down a dropper and answered a Federer stretch volley with a slick flick backhand. Federer lost the point, but won the game for 5-4.
Serving to force the tie break, Nishikori did the kind of retrieving that recalled his coach, Michael Chang, continuously forcing the Swiss to play another shot. Federer answered with dropper, a drive and dazzle. In a whirling 19-shot adventure point, Federer hit a swinging forehand volley before banging a backhand winner down the line, drawing a thumbs up from Nishikori.
Collateral damage from that point drained Nishikori, who put a tired forehand into the middle of the net for set point. Trying to get even quickly, Nishikori drew Federer in, but netted his backhand pass. Federer sealed his third break to snatch the 48-minute opener.
Improbably, Nishikori turned a 1-4 second-set deficit into a springboard for a five-game run that saw him reel off 16 of 20 points.
Completely seizing momentum, Nishikori crunched a forehand return winner to break back for 3-4. Two games later, Federer brain cramped when he mis-timed a forehand sitter so badly the shot sailed beyond the doubles alley. Federer concluded a messy game netting a backhand dropping his second straight service game.
When the Swiss netted a forehand drop shot, Nishikori had his fifth straight game to force a decider.
On the verge of another break at Love-40, Nishikori seemed poised to take charge of the decider. Federer exploited a couple of unforced errors then opened his shoulders holding for 2-1, turning the set around with a crucial save.
A stunning running one-handed backhand pass from Nishikori that left him near the front row was a highlight shot, but couldn't stall Federer. Running around a return, Federer smacked a forehand to draw the error breaking for 3-1.
Serving with authority at crunch time, Federer won 18 of 19 points played on his first serve in the final set. He scorched a forehand down the line and slammed down a smash closing an entertaining two hour, 10-minute match in style.