Kei Nishikori has given himself every chance of qualifying for the semi-finals of the ATP World Tour Finals with a three-set victory over David Ferrer.
Ferrer had been drafted in as a late replacement for the injured Milos Raonic, but the Spaniard didn't need much time to settle as two breaks of serve earned him the first set.
However, Nishikori displayed all aspects of his ever improving game to come through 4-6 6-4 6-1 which will be enough for a place in the last four, unless Andy Murray can beat Roger Federer in straight sets this evening.
Read below to see how the action unfolded at the O2 Arena in London.
Hello, and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the match between Kei Nishikori and David Ferrer at the ATP World Tour Finals.
I've spent the past 36 hours trying to think of a logical way of explaining the permutations in Group B, but I needn't have bothered. The withdrawal of Milos Raonic due to a quad injury has seen the scenarios change in this group, and from a British perspective, change for the worse...
Right then, bare with me. If Murray loses against Roger Federer later today, he will be eliminated. If Murray wins in three sets and Nishikori wins in three sets, then Murray will still be eliminated. Harsh, huh? If both Murray and Nishikori win in straight sets, then it will come down to a percentage of games won between Murray, Nishikori and Federer.
Confused? Yeah, me too. Let's just see how this match plays out...
Ironically, it was Nishikori who ended Ferrer's hopes of making this tournament in the first place during their quarter-final clash in Paris two weeks ago. It was a back-and-forth affair but Nishikori capitalised on being fresher than the Spaniard to win in three. Today should see Ferrer in better condition than in the French capital, but it might take him a while to get used to the courts in London.
I should note that even if Ferrer wins this afternoon, he can't make the last four. He could end up on the same points as Nishikori and Murray by the end of today, but because he hasn't played as many matches as the other three players in Group B, he is unable to progress.
Apologies if any of that has confused you, it wasn't my intention. I'm sure things will become clearer once we get underway, which we are ready to do now. It will be Ferrer to serve first.
It's an encouraging start from Ferrer, who advances to 40-15 with a couple of well-directed first serves. Nishikori puts away a backhand to remain in the game, but the Spaniard comes through with the hold.
Nishikori kicks off with an ace but for the umpteenth time this week, he sends down a double fault. The US Open runner-up throws in another error but he holds comfortably enough with a big serve out wide.
Did I say that it might take Ferrer some time to adjust? Yeah, well forget that. The Spaniard comes out on top in a rally that must be up there with the best of the week, eventually putting away a backhand smash despite some magic from Nishikori at the net. However, a double fault from Ferrer sees him fall to 30-30, but an ace out wide helps him hold to 30.
A miscued return from Ferrer is fortunate to land on the line and it distracts Nishikori who quickly goes 15-30 down, but what a response. Three winners off the ground, all of sheer power and accuracy, get him through the game and a statement of intent has been laid down by the Asian superstar.
Ferrer looks in control at 30-0 but Nishikori is being increasingly aggressive and it's paying off. Ferrer sends down an ace for 40-30 but Nishikori drills a return on the next point for deuce, the first of the match. Again, Nishikori's combination of power and accuracy sees him win a baseline exchange but it brings a response from Ferrer, who forces his opponent to net three times in a row.
Nishikori concedes another double fault to put him on the back foot and he is soon facing a break point after pressure from Ferrer. The first is saved comfortably enough, but after Ferrer gives himself another chance, Nishikori replies with a drop shot from the back of the court and clips the top of the net before going over and although one game point is starved off, the Japanese holds to get back on level terms.
BREAK! All of the shot-making is coming from Nishikori but Ferrer hangs in there for 30-30. The game advances to deuce where a stunning backhand pass from Ferrer is met by sublime backhand drop volley from Nishikori. The break is then sealed then the Japanese drills a cross-court forehand winner than flummoxes Ferrer. Nishikori is supposed to be hindered by a wrist problem but those last two points were a bit special.
BREAK! Nishikori has recorded 14 winners so far, but his 13th unforced errors results in him facing a 0-30 deficit. He takes the next two points but after hooking a forehand wide, Nishikori must save a break-back point to remain ahead but Ferrer is relentless and he gets to 4-4 after his opponent nets. This has been the match of the tournament so far...but I don't suppose it has taken much.
Ferrer follows up the break back with a convincing hold to love and out of nowhere, Nishikori will serve to stay in the set. Andy Murray will be taking an interest in this next game.
SET! After falling to 15-30, there's huge trouble for Nishikori when he double faults to give Ferrer two set points, but the Spaniard only needs one when Nishikori smashes the ball into the net! Disaster for the Japanese.
BREAK! Ferrer opens the second set with a double fault before he is punished for a poor drop shot as Nishikori delivers a backhand pass for 0-30. After Ferrer floats a forehand long, it's three break points for Nishikori but the first two go by as Ferrer takes the aggressive approach. However, Nishikori breaks through when Ferrer goes long once again and that should steal the momentum off the Spaniard.
Nishikori has definitely regained his focus and proceeds to a love hold with the help of a drop shot and some more destructive work off the ground.
Nishikori is still thrashing away at the ball and making Ferrer cover a lot of ground around the court but the Spaniard digs deep to get to 40-0. Nishikori has control of the next point but he goes long with a backhand and Ferrer is on the board in this second set.
A couple of excellent returns get Ferrer to 15-30 but Nishikori, sensing trouble, steps into the net to put away a smash and that sets the tone for the remainder of the game.
Ferrer lets slip a 30-0 lead as Nishikori goes on the offensive off both wings to get to deuce. Ferrer holds on though as Nishikori misses with an ambitious attempt at a lob from the baseline. While there is just one break of serve in this, Ferrer will always have a chance and it's one that Andy Murray needs him to take to make his job a little easier. We should also point out that Ferrer's success in the first set has ensured that Roger Federer has qualified for the last four.
Some heavy hitting takes Nishikori to 30-0 but Ferrer gets him on the running with a return. That's as good as it gets for Ferrer though, and the Japanese holds to 15.
An unforced error off his backhand wing contributes to Ferrer falling to 15-30 but he's fortunate to level the game when Nishikori misses with a forehand down the line. A couple more mistakes from the Japanese help Ferrer stay competitive in the set.
Two tame efforts into the net from Ferrer give the initiative to Nishikori, but the Spaniard comes alive with a cross-court forehand. It's not enough, though, and Nishikori holds with an ace.
Nishikori records another forehand winner for 30-15, but Ferrer holds with authority to force his opponent to serve for the second set.
SET! Nishikori misfires with as forehand to give Ferrer 15-15, but a meaty first serve puts him two away from the set. That becomes one when he draws his opponent into the net before executing the lob. The first set point is taken with a backhand winner down the line that wrong-foots Ferrer and we are going the distance for this first time in this tournament.
This final set could prove pivotal regarding the possible qualification of Andy Murray. If Nishikori wins his 21st final set out of 23 attempts, Murray will need to beat Federer in straight sets. If Ferrer can hit back in the third, then Murray can afford to defeat Federer in three sets and still qualify.
BREAK! The level of Nishikori's play on the opening two points is immense. A drop-shot winner and forehand from the baseline takes him 0-30 ahead and another perfectly-constructed point earns him two break points. The first is taken when Ferrer goes long and he takes the momentum in this decider.
The onslaught from Nishikori continues as he opens up a 0-30 advantage but he blames his racquet when marginally missing out with a shot from the baseline. The US Open runner-up makes another mistake at 40-15 but one from Ferrer gifts him the game. Ferrer's level has dropped considerably since the end of the opening set.
BREAK! More unforced errors from Ferrer leave him 0-30 behind and with a broken racquet after smashing it down onto the court in frustration. His new weapon of choice can't prevent him from falling 15-40 down and although a successful challenge from Ferrer stops him sealing the double break at the first time of asking, a cross-court backhand on the next gets the job done.
The finish line is very much in sight. Two outrageous winners either side of an ace earn Nishikori three game points which he takes in the blink of an eye when stepping into court.
Ferrer is on the back foot once again at 15-30 but a couple of mistakes from Nishikori allow him the opportunity to get to deuce. From that point, Ferrer starts to show a bit of life but he is up against it if he has ambitions to get back into this match.
There's hope for Ferrer when he pressurises Nishikori to create two break-point openings but it's not enough as Nishikori fires back with some power hitting of his own. The Japanese saves a third before surviving a fourth with a backhand volley into the corner. A fifth chance arrives Ferrer's way but the Spaniard is annoyed when he floats a tame second-serve return over the baseline. Nishikori comes through with the hold with another drop-shot winner and that could be that for Ferrer.
MATCH! Ferrer moves 30-0 ahead but he goes for too much on a routine forehand conversion and Nishikori is back at 30-30. That soon becomes match point when Ferrer hits an attempted defensive lob to the top of the arena. Ferrer gets into the next rally, but he can't keep Nishikori at bay and the Japanese secures a very impressive three-set win.
Nishikori has recorded over 50 wins this year but not many are going to be as impressive as that. Ferrer looked on top at the end of the first set but it was a super response from the Asian superstar who deservedly came out on top in three sets.
As I mentioned earlier, Nishikori's win means that he has earned a place in the semi-finals, unless Andy Murray can beat Roger Federer in straight sets tonight. It's a tough ask, especially considering that he hasn't beaten Federer since the start of 2013, but who knows, stranger things have happened.
That will be all from our coverage of this match but we'll see you again later tonight. Goodbye for now.
Written by
Darren Plant
Darren Plant
