2011 Chennai Open: Kei Nishikori advances, Aisam-Bopanna crash out
21-year-old Kei Nishikori of Japan got the better of Colombian Alejandro Falla in three sets to make his way into the quarterfinal round at the 2011 Chennai Open on Thursday.
Nishikori won a hard-fought three-setter which lasted just over two hours.
“I always seem to start slowly and that is something I must change quickly. I got lucky today but I don't think that will happen every time. It was good I came back well and won the second set. Two wins out of two is a good start for me,” said Nishikori
after the match.
The professional tennis ace from Japan who earlier this week posted the tournament’s biggest upset by beating Marin Cilic in the opening round, took nine games in a row to emerge victorious in the end.
Falla started off the match strongly and looked extremely confident throughout the opening set. He played some superb shots and thus wrapped up the set in just forty-four minutes at 6-4.
The Colombian continued his dominance in the second set as well and thus immediately took a lead of 3-0. Kei, however, stunned every one as he recovered well to take the second set 6-3.
The decisive set did not change the story for the Japanese as he did not allow his opponent to bounce back as Falla could only manage two more games in the last set. Nishikori not only secured an early break point but also dominated Falla throughout the
decider to seal win in the end.
By virtue of this victory, former world number 56 Kei will take on Janko Tipsarevic from Serbia to confirm his spot in the semi-final round in Chennai.
Tipsarevic made his way into the quarters after brushing aside his Russian opponent Alexandre Kudryavtsev in two sets earlier on Thursday.
The Serbian posted his career-best result in Chennai back in 2009 when he finished semi-finalist.
World number 49 Tipsarevic said, “I am feeling good, fit and fresh despite the humidity. Nishikori is a very good player, but I am ready. It will be a baseline game against him.”
In the doubles action, Robin Haase and David Martin hammered down the second seed pair of Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi and Rohan Bopanna in the quarterfinal match in two sets on Thursday. The Indo-Pak duo lost the match 4-6, 5-7 in seventy minutes.
The duo entered the match as hot favourites. However, they looked shaky right from the start. In contrast, their opponents played superior tennis and won the match comfortably in straight sets.
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