WASHINGTON (AP) — Getting his hard-court game in shape ahead of the U.S. Open, Kei Nishikori came back to beat big-serving John Isner 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday for his first Citi Open title.
The second-seeded Nishikori, the runner-up at Flushing Meadows last year, weathered 18 aces from the eighth-seeded Isner, a 6-foot-10 American who fell to 0-3 in finals in Washington.
“Good job,” Isner told Nishikori during the trophy ceremony. “I’ll get you next time, though.”
For the third time in five matches, Japan’s Nishikori dropped the opening set before turning things around to win in three.
It is Nishikori’s 10th career title and third of 2015, when he is 43-9. Only No. 1 Novak Djokovic and No. 2 Roger Federer have won more tournaments this season, and only Djokovic and No. 3 Andy Murray have won more matches.
“I’ll try to keep going,” Nishikori said. “I’ve been playing well.”
Nishikori will move up from No. 5 to No. 4 in Monday’s rankings, equaling his career best.
He lost serve only once, never facing so much as a single break point over the last two sets. And Nishikori played cleanly, totaling 13 unforced errors, less than half of Isner’s count of 28.
On a muggy day with barely a cloud in the sky and the temperature in the mid-80s, there were not many extended exchanges from the baseline, but when there were, Nishikori usually won the point. A rare exception came in the last game of the first set, when Isner’s cross-court forehand forced an error to get him to 15-30 on Nishikori’s serve.
Isner, the winner last week in Atlanta, then pounced, pounding a 76 mph second serve for an inside-out forehand return winner, followed by a down-the-line forehand return winner off a 107 mph serve. That gave Isner the set, and he waved his right hand, motioning to the crowd for more noise.
Nishikori quickly recovered, though, breaking right away to move ahead 1-0 in the second set, then holding for 2-0. At the next changeover, Isner was visited by a trainer, removing his shirt and getting his right shoulder massaged. Isner held a towel over his face while the joint was manipulated.
In the third set, Nishikori jumped ahead early again, this time breaking to go up 2-1 when Isner dumped a forehand into the net.
They would play for nearly another 25 minutes, but because Isner could never manage to earn a break point — much less break Nishikori’s serve altogether — the final essentially was over, then and there.
Nishikori collected $343,000 in prize money. Isner took home almost $155,000; he also lost finals in Washington in 2007 against Andy Roddick, and in 2013 against Juan Martin del Potro.
In the men’s doubles final, American twins Bob and Mike Bryan won their fourth Citi Open title, and first since 2007, by beating Ivan Dodig of Croatia and Marcelo Melo of Brazil 6-4, 6-2. It’s the Bryans’ 108th career doubles title, extending their record.
Later Sunday, Sloane Stephens faced Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the women’s singles final
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