New York: A clinical performance by World No. 6 Novak Djokovic helped him ease past Japan’s Kei Nishikori in the semi-finals of men’s singles in the ongoing US Open and book his place in the final of the Grand Slam.
The Serbian ace registered a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 scoreline to give him a chance to win his third US Open title and his second Grand Slam of the year after the Wimbledon win earlier this year.
Holding a 14-2 win record against the Japanese, Djokovic was never in threat of an upset by the current World No. 21 as he raced to a 3-0 lead in the first set. Although Nishikori managed to claw back three games to make it 5-3, Djokovic held him to love and sealed the first set with an ace.
“We’ve played 18 times. I have tremendous respect for him as a person and a player.”@DjokerNole‘s thoughts on @delpotrojuan #USOpen pic.twitter.com/ytvBJfdvVv
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 8, 2018
A better start for Nishikori in the second set saw him level with the holder of 13 Grand Slam Titles at 2-2. Djokovic broke Nishikori’s next serve and, with Nishikori unable to break any of the Serbian’s serves, the second set went to Djokovic’s name at 6-4.
Djokovic went into cruise control in the third set, winning four consecutive games from 2-2 to win the match and book his spot in the final.
The Serbian will face Argentina’s World No. 3 Juan Martin del Potro in the final on September 10.