Kei Nishikori got through to the fourth round of the Australian Open for the fifth consecutive year after his 7-5 2-6 6-3 6-4 win over Guillermo Garcia Lopez under the roof of the Margaret Court Arena.
Garcia Lopez broke serve in the seventh game and got a chance to serve to serve out for the first set at 5-4 but Nishikori broke back as Lopez hit a forehand into the net at 15-40. Nishikori broke again to seal the 46-minute first set 7-5 on another error from Garcia Lopez. However Nishikori called the trainer to treat a right wrist problem.
“It was little bit sore in the beginning, but after the treatment it was fine. I am sure it’s going to be OK. Luckily it didn’t go five sets, which is good for my body”, said Nishikori.
The Spanish player broke Nishikori in the first game and got the double break in the fifth game for 4-1 as Nishikori hit a forehand wide. Lopez earned a set point with an ace and closed out the second set 6-2. It was the first time that Lopez won a set in his three head-to-head matches against Nishikori.
Nishikori broke serve at 3-2 and fended off three break points in the 9th game to close out the third set 6-3. Nishikori converted an early break at 1-1 in the fourth set but Garcia Lopez earned two break back point chances in the 8th game. Nishikori brought up three match points with an ace and clinched the win on his first opportunity when Garcia Lopez hit a backhand long.
“He is gonna be a tough opponent. We played last year at the French Open. I almost came back but he raised his level in the fifth set. It was really a tough loss for me, so I hoped to get a revenge here”, said Nishikori
Nishikori set ups a fourth round match against Jo Wilfried Tsonga who beat his compatriot Pierre Hughes Herbert 6-4 7-6 (9-7) 7-6 (7-4). Tsonga hit 23 aces and fended off 4 of the 6 break point chances he faced. Tsonga broke serve in the first game. Both players served well and dropped just few points on serve. Herbert got a chance to break back but Tsonga fended off the break point in the 10th game to seal the first set three points later. Tsonga and Herbert traded breaks in the third and the fourth games of the second set. Tsonga fended off a set point on his own serve in the 10th game. Tsonga had to save another set point in a tight tie-break of the second set before taking the second set 9-7. The third set followed the same pattern. Tsonga got an early break. Herbert broke back. The set came down to the tie-break where Tsonga prevailed with 7-4. Nishikori leads 4-2 in his head-to-head matches against Tsonga.
David Goffin overcame Dominic Thiem in four sets 6-1 3-6 7-6 (7-2) 7-5 setting up a fourth round match against Roger Federer who beat Grigor Dimitrov in four sets. Goffin is the fourth Belgian player to reach the fourth round in Melbourne and the first since Olivier Rochus in 2005.
Gilles Simon dropped just six games in his 6-3 6-2 6-1 win over Federico Delbonis. The Frenchman faced just one break point and hit 24 winners to 15 unforced errors. Delbonis was broken only once in the sixth game of the first set but dropped his serve five times in his last seven service games.
Roberto Bautista Agut upset 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic 6-4 7-6 (7-5) 7-5. Cilic hit 46 winners including 15 aces but made 55 unforced errors. Bautista Agut scored his 8th consecutive win including his third title in Auckland last week where he beat Jack Sock.
