Kei Nishikori cruises through to Barcelona Open final

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/apr/25/kei-nishikori-cruises-through-to-barcelona-open-final

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The obvious temptation when looking ahead to next month’s French Open is to pick a winner from Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. But that is perhaps to do a disservice to Kei Nishikori, the world No 5, who moved a step closer to a successful defence of his Barcelona Open title with a virtually flawless 6-1, 6-2 rout of the hapless Martin Klizan.

Once affectionately nicknamed “Project 45” on account of his determination to outdo Shuzo Matsuoka, a fellow countryman whose career-high ranking of 46 was previously the best achieved by a Japanese man, Nishikori has looked a player transformed since reaching the US Open final last year.

Certainly he was too much for Klizan, who spent much of the afternoon swatting at thin air. The Slovak likes nothing better than to bully opponents from the baseline, but was never able to settle into a rhythm or bring his booming forehand to bear. Nishikori, hugging the baseline and employing his fleetness of foot to telling effect, was unrelenting in denying his opponent time on the ball. Greater challenges await, but on this form few players will relish the thought of facing him in Paris.

Nick Bollettieri, the American coach who took on Nishikori when he arrived at his academy in Florida as a youngster barely able to speak a word of English, says the Japanese player has the best hands of any player he has seen since Andre Agassi, another of his former charges. That quality, much in evidence against Klizan, may yet steer him to greater things on the clay courts this summer.

“I am really excited to come into the final again here,” said Nishikori, who beat the Colombian Santiago Giraldo in last year’s final. “I played a really solid match today, everything was perfect.”

Could Nishikori go on to win in Paris? His coach, Michael Chang – who came from nowhere to win the French as a 17-year-old in 1989 – will testify that stranger things have happened. Nadal, a nine-time champion, always seems to come good somehow, while Djokovic, in imperious form this year, rightly remains the favourite for now. But Nadal’s travails in Catalonia this week, where he slumped to a miserable straight sets to Italy’s Fabio Fognini, serve as a salutary reminder that nothing is preordained on the red dust this year.

Nishikori will play Pablo Andujar in the final after the Spaniard upset countryman David Ferrer, the third seed, in the second semi-final.

“This is one of the best matches I have played in my life,” said Andujar, the world No 66, of his 7-6 (6), 6-3 win.