Strike Factory

US Open mens final preview for general public

 

So there will be a new Grand Slam winner after tonight (unless it rains all day in New York), between two guys that tennis fans will know but the less hardcore more general sports fan will not know so well and not easy with no Nole, Fed Express, Murray Mints or Rafa, so here is some information about the two finalists, and little bit on their coaches who are both one time Grand Slam winners and former World No.2 players!

 

Kei Nishikori (Japan)

Age: 24

Current World Ranking: 10

Highest World Ranking 9 5/2014

Plays: Right Handed

Coach: Former French Open Champion and World No.2 Michael Chang!

Career titles: 5

Career highlight: Win or lose tonight he has made history becoming the first Japanese man to reach a Grand Slam singles final (Zenzo Shimizu reached the Wimbledon All Comers Final in 1920 but was really more a semi final as the winner would play the defending champion in the Challenger Round which was the final.)

Career lowlight: Suffering a shock first round loss at the US Open last year to British qualifier ranked 179 in the world Dan Evans in straight sets.

 

Marin Cilic (Croatia)

Age: 25

Current World Ranking: 12

Highest World Ranking: 9 2/2010

Plays: Right handed

Coach: Fellow Croat Goran Ivanisevic who broke British Hearts back in 2001 stunning Tim Henman in Wimbledon semi finals and going on to be surprise Wimbledon Champion (also once got defaulted during a match in Brighton for destroying all 3 racquets he brought to play and had nothing else to use so got disqualified).

Career titles: 11

Career highlights: Apart from this years final, has been a semi finalist at the Australian Open!

Career lowlight: Receiving a 9 months drugs ban from ATP Tour this time last year after he tested positive for a banned substance, however the sentance was later reduced to 4 months, though he returned to ATP Tour tennis action at Brisabne this year!

 

Past encounters/ Head to head: Nishikori 5-2 Cilic Special K has generally had the upper hand in 7 career meetings so far. The first meeting was at Indian Wells in 2008 which Cilic won. They have met at the US Open twice before with Nishikori winning the first meeting in 2010 and Cilic getting his 2nd and last career win against the Japanese man in 2012. They have met twice this year with Special K winning both! 

So the stats and history seem to place Kei 'Special K' Nishikori as the hot fave to win tonight, though with the numerous surprises that have gone around Flushing Meadows this year don't be surprised if Marin Cilic pulls a surprise from the bag, sadly looks like there is a big chance that the Arthur Ashe Stadium will not be a full house tonight due to the lack of 'big names' for more casual fans to enjoy but I am looking forward to this clash after the England football!