By Chris Oddo | Saturday October 10, 2015
Benoit Paire knocked out defending champion Kei Nishikori in Tokyo to set up a final with Stan Wawrinka.
Photo Source: Koki Nagahama/Getty
Benoit Paire produced a stirring comeback for the ages to down Japan’s prodigal son and defending champion Kei Nishikori in the Rakuten Japen Open semifinals on Saturday, 1-6, 6-4, 6-2.
More: Uncle Toni Nonplussed By Fognini's Antics in Tokyo
Just as he did last night against Nick Kyrgios, Paire rallied from down a set and 4-4 in the second to seize control.
After holding for 5-4 in set two, Paire earned his first break points of the match. Nishikori would save the first two but the Frenchman kept pushing and finally grabbed the set when he struck a majestic backhand down-the-line winner at the end of a long rally to claim the set.
Paire, who upset Nishikori in the first round of the US Open after saving a match point, quickly moved ahead in the third set with a break for 2-0, then consolidated for 3-0. The rangy, aggressive, unpredictable shotmaker was in full flight by this point. Though he faced a break point after squandering a 40-0 lead while serving at 4-2, Paire confidently served back-to-back aces before sealing the game with a perfectly executed serve-and-volley to lead 5-2.
Paire didn’t waste any time after that; he earned two match points in the next game and sealed his victory on the second by drilling a crosscourt forehand that forced the Nishikori error.
Paire finished with an impressive 30 winners against just 13 unforced errors, and will next face his good friend Stan Wawrinka in the final.
Wawrinka eased past Gilles Muller in two tight sets to reach his 4th final of 2015, 6-4, 6-4.
Paire and Wawrinka have met five times with the Swiss holding the 4-1 lifetime edge. The two have never met later than the round of 16.