New season, similar conditions
Djokovic ended Nishikori’s run at the All England Club in July on his way to the title, putting his own injury demons to rest in the process. The 13-time Grand Slam champion, a winner in New York in both 2011 and 2015, has had a rollercoaster ride of his own over the past two seasons culminating in a six-month break and elbow surgery, but having won 24 of his last 26 matches – including victory in Cincinnati that saw him become the first man to win all nine ATP Masters 1000 titles – he is approaching his very best once more.
It was a sweltering September day in Queens back in 2014 when Nishikori became the first Japanese man to reach a Grand Slam final by beating Djokovic, denying the Serbian a fifth consecutive final appearance. Similar conditions have taken their toll on the 31-year-old already in this year’s tournament, notably against Marton Fucsovics in the first round and Joao Sousa in the last 16. But with cooler weather on the way, both men should expect to be at their physical best on Arthur Ashe Stadium. It will be down to Nishikori to make lightning strike twice in New York, while Djokovic will be looking to claim a 14th consecutive win.
What they said…
Djokovic on Nishikori: “He’s got one of the best two-handed backhands in the game and very quick. If not the quickest, then one of the quickest players on the tour. He has phenomenal footwork. Probably the biggest match I lost against him was here back in 2014. He loves playing here obviously.”
Nishikori on Djokovic: “I don't have a great record against Novak, but it's always been a tough match in the past couple of years. It's a great challenge for me. It is always exciting to play him.”