Kei Nishikori rallies past Richard Berankis to enter quarters – BB&T Atlanta Open 2012
Third seed, Kei Nishikori, required three sets to outclass the Lithuanian qualifier, Richard Berankis, in three sets at the BB&T Atlanta Open 2012 on Wednesday. He summed up a 6-4, 6-7(7), 6-4 victory against his fellow 22-year-old tennis star and booked
a spot in the quarter-finals at this ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) World Tour 250 series event held in Johns Creek, United States.
The Japanese number one, Nishikori showed exceptional skills to outfox the qualifier in two hours and 42 minutes. Encountering each other for the first time, Nishikori laboured into the last eight at this outdoor hard court tournament taking place from 14th
to 22nd July.
Nishikori made a drastic entry at the Atlantic Station and after losing his serve twice, he fell at 0-3. However, he made a spectacular reply and went on a four-game tear to get the upper hand. The Japanese held his composure and got the breakthrough in
the last game, subsequently clinching the opener with a 6-4 score line.
The world number 147, Berankis, changed his strategy in the following set and got the critical break in the opening game to jump to a 2-0 lead. Apart from losing his edge in the 10th game, the Lithuanian held his remaining serves and enforced
a tie-breaker. He prevailed in it and pulled out the equaliser with a 7-6(7) win.
Ranked 19th in the South African Airways ATP World Tour Rankings, Nishikori found his rhythm again in the final set and got the desiderated break in the third game to leap to a 3-1 lead. He swiped his remaining serves after blocking both breakpoints
he faced and clicked the decider by winning six games to four.
Overall, the Asian number one clobbered a better first serve share of 63 per cent as opposed to his rival’s 60 per cent and magnificently availed 43 out of 64 points on it. He also spilled fewer errors and capitalised on five out of 13 break chances to earn
the glory.
Nishikori will next confront his eighth seeded compatriot, Go Soeda, who crushed the Russian contender, Igor Kunitsyn, with a breadstick to set up this battle.
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