The Last Samurai

Will this be Nishikori's last match?

Or could he surprise us with a big upset, making the next round? Let's be honest, based on his year and current form, it seems really unlikely, doesn't it? In fact, he does mention that his condition is not so good, but "good enough to play". Actually, the previous match that Nishikori played was sort of a mini-farewell... against Sakamoto, with a lot of Japanese spectators in New York. In that match, he quite simply looked like the old player; that's the way I can describe it ;) We still see good moments from him, with how early he takes the ball and his ball-striking ability; he can still fire away some nice-looking winners! However, it just doesn't happen often enough in most of his matches anymore. He has struggled a lot with physicality for a while, so if he gets stuck in rallies, he ends up having to pull the trigger a bit too early. Now, I'll mention some good things. It's the first round... he'll have massive crowd support. Also, the conditions are quite fast, which is definitely a plus, so he can get a few easy holds at least.

How will Tiafoe react in this match? Do we see him completely locked in, or does he "participate" a bit in an epic farewell match? Don't forget that this is the man who sent Federer off into the sunset by almost blasting him in the face with the ball 😂 Also, I'm sure he is eager to continue his momentum; he is now ranked No. 8 in the world, and surely he wants to maintain a good spot to qualify for the ATP Finals. Still, it is his first match since a really big summer in the US... can he maintain the sharpness that he has been showing us for a while now?