tenisplayrla08
Major Winner
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Annnnd y'all. I didn't do my research before hand and it meant I missed out on a fun nugget until now. Didn't check the h2h between Nishikori/Paire. If I had I would have been reminded of two things. 1) Nishikori beat Paire in the second round here last year in 5. Was down 2 sets to 1 that day. I don't remember that. Probably wasn't paying as close attention last year. Anyways. 2) Paire beat Nishikori in 5 sets in the first round of the 2015 US Open. The year after he made the final. So Nishikori possibly with that little bit of extra motivation to get back in it today, and last year. Paire had already taken one from him. He didn't want to see it happen again. Clay more forgiving and makes the serve more returnable/playable. I only found it now because I was looking at Kei's grand slam record. Then I pulled up the h2h. That match is the last time Kei lost before the 3rd round at a slam. And he's only lost in the 3rd round once since then. Wimbledon 2017, right before the injury layoff that causes him to miss the US Open and the AO. Fell to RBA in 4 (would have had to play Cilic in the 4th round.) But also. That was Paire's first run to the 4th round of a slam. Lost to Tsonga. Nishikori beat Tsonga as well this week. IT'S ALL CONNECTED!!!! lol (I swear I'm like.... 3 bad decisions and one week away, at any given moment, from being a crazy, agoraphobic, tin foil hat conspiracy theorist.)
Paire has only made 2 fourth round appearances at slams since then. Including today. Only other one was against Murray at the 2017 Wimbledon. We'll see if he can keep this form up. I think this was mostly just the result of a lot of clay play for him this year. And finding some really nice form on the red dirt. One of the other reasons I would have been ok with him winning. Well, I guess it's the same as the fact, that I mentioned already, that he won't have as many chances as Kei, going forward. But just, the other side of that, you want to see people take advantage of a great run up to a slam, especially if it's the clay run up at the only clay slam or the grass run up before Wimbledon. But Kei too strong in the end. Mentally the stronger player. Pulls it out. Beats Paire at his home slam in a bit of revenge for the loss in what could have been called the closest thing to his home slam after he'd made the final the year before at the USO. Nishikori an IMG/Bolletieri kid, so it really is the closest thing he's got to a home slam. At least until the AO got the rep as the Asian slam. (Thanks to Li Na. And marketing. And now Osaka.)
Just a great day for Nishikori. Was close to a not so great day (not disastrous. It's not like he'd have quit being good after a loss.) But thrilled he's through. Hope he can rest up and at least get a set from Nadal. But I'm not terribly optimistic. Mostly because Nadal looks amazing and Nishikori hasn't pushed Nadal on clay recently. But the legs also come into it. And just like at the AO this year. 2 five setters will probably do him in. (Had 2 and 3 quarters or 4 fifths at the AO. First round went to 5 but Majchrzak retired down 3-0 in the fifth. Then 5 sets against Karlovic and Carreno Busta. Winning 2 tiebreaks against both men. Including the fifth set both times.) Really glad he can say he made 4 straight quarters. Not too many people can say that. He's played in a really tough era as a somewhat undersized and always injured player. And acquitted himself more than fairly well. Of course I can see the streak of quarters coming to an end at Wimbledon. Last year's quarter there was his first. He'll take the good with the bad and keep truckin though. He always does. Truly earns that moniker The Samurai.
Paire has only made 2 fourth round appearances at slams since then. Including today. Only other one was against Murray at the 2017 Wimbledon. We'll see if he can keep this form up. I think this was mostly just the result of a lot of clay play for him this year. And finding some really nice form on the red dirt. One of the other reasons I would have been ok with him winning. Well, I guess it's the same as the fact, that I mentioned already, that he won't have as many chances as Kei, going forward. But just, the other side of that, you want to see people take advantage of a great run up to a slam, especially if it's the clay run up at the only clay slam or the grass run up before Wimbledon. But Kei too strong in the end. Mentally the stronger player. Pulls it out. Beats Paire at his home slam in a bit of revenge for the loss in what could have been called the closest thing to his home slam after he'd made the final the year before at the USO. Nishikori an IMG/Bolletieri kid, so it really is the closest thing he's got to a home slam. At least until the AO got the rep as the Asian slam. (Thanks to Li Na. And marketing. And now Osaka.)
Just a great day for Nishikori. Was close to a not so great day (not disastrous. It's not like he'd have quit being good after a loss.) But thrilled he's through. Hope he can rest up and at least get a set from Nadal. But I'm not terribly optimistic. Mostly because Nadal looks amazing and Nishikori hasn't pushed Nadal on clay recently. But the legs also come into it. And just like at the AO this year. 2 five setters will probably do him in. (Had 2 and 3 quarters or 4 fifths at the AO. First round went to 5 but Majchrzak retired down 3-0 in the fifth. Then 5 sets against Karlovic and Carreno Busta. Winning 2 tiebreaks against both men. Including the fifth set both times.) Really glad he can say he made 4 straight quarters. Not too many people can say that. He's played in a really tough era as a somewhat undersized and always injured player. And acquitted himself more than fairly well. Of course I can see the streak of quarters coming to an end at Wimbledon. Last year's quarter there was his first. He'll take the good with the bad and keep truckin though. He always does. Truly earns that moniker The Samurai.
