Day Four of the 2019 Australian Open, and the first match on Margaret Court Arena was the battle between 39 year old Ivo Karlovic and eighth seed Kei Nishikori.
Nishikori served first, and began with a serve forehand combo for 15-0. He missed a volley, but not the next one, and wrapped up the game with another forehand winner. 1-0.
Karlovic won the opening point when Nishikori hit long. A double fault and a backhand pushed wide for 15-30. A big serve and a second serve ace for game point. Karlovic left a Nishikori return which landed in, and it was deuce. An ace was met with a forehand pass and a second deuce. Big serving won the game, a third ace sealing it. 1-1.
Forehand winner from Nishikori to begin game three, and he won it to love. 2-1.
Overhead winner and ace helped Karlovic level at 2-2.
Nishikori was caught short by a sneaky Karlovic shot, but Nishikori hit a perfect, if not well hit, lob followed by an ace. He won the game with a brilliant backhand dug out from metres below Melbourne Park. 3-2.
Genius drop shot from Karlovic and two aces for three game points. A good return saved one, but ace number seven squared the ledger 3-3.
Nishikori won at the net once, but lost next try for 30-15. Good serving for two game points. A neat volley and 4-3.
Double fault and 0-15. An awesome backhand return by Nishikori and 0-30. Another great return forced an error and three break points. An ace saved one. A clutch volley saved a second, but a fine return forced another mistake and the break eventuated. 5-3 and Nishikori serving for the set.
A good return from Karlovic and 15-15, then two unforced errors from the same man, and Nishikori had two set points.
A forehand clinched it 6-3
Beginning set two, Karlovic was subjected to a Japanese backhand pass and 0-30. A win at the net by the big man, plus an ace. 30-30. Big serving with better accuracy won the game, an ace the icing. 1-0.
Forehand winner, and net approach had Nishikori at 30-0.
Impotent return and three game points. A double fault merely delayed the inevitable hold for 1-1.
Volley winner and an ace highlighted a Karlovic hold. 2-1. A missed backhand and Nishikori ahead 15-0. 30-0 with a Japanese backhand down the line. A love game for 2-2.
Nishikori had no right to win the net exchange but did and Karlovic responded as expected with a big serve. A superb backhand lob from Nishikori received an ace in reply. 30-30. A forehand return fell in and Nishikori had break point.
It disappeared in a flash with the 14th ace. Number 15 and game point.
The 16th sealed the game and 3-2.
A Nishikori ace for 30-0. Errors from Karlovic and 3-3. Ace, then more big serving for 4-3.
No break chances were presented for the remainder of the set, and a tie break emerged.
Karlovic aced Nishikori 1-0. A Japanese shot went wide and Karlovic led 2-0. A Nishikori ace for 1-2.
A Nishikori forehand pass and 2-2.
Rain delay
Upon resumption, Karlovic volleyed for 3-2 and a Nishikori forehand made it 3-3 at end change. A Nishikori miss and Karlovic had a mini break. A double fault and 4-4. An ace for 5-4.
A netted Karlovic backhand and he trailed 5-6. Set point saved.
6-6 and end change.
A simple volley miss by Karlovic and set point for Nishikori, this one on his own serve. A forehand pass and the set to Japan 7-6(6).
Behind 0-30 in the opening game of set three, Nishikori hit two winners, and proceeded to hold and lead 1-0.
Also down 0-30 on serve, thanks in part to a Nishikori winner, Karlovic produced three forehand winners and an ace to level at 1-1.
The match was hitting all the highs, Nishikori serving up a love game including four clean winners to lead 2-1.
Not to be denied, two aces and a backhand winner from Croatia levelled it at 2-2.
Easy for Nishikori, winning all the points and leading 3-2.
Up 40-0, Karlovic endured two winning Japanese backhands before delivering an ace for 3-3.
Yet another love game, featuring an ace and two forehand winners, put Nishikori ahead 4-3.
Karlovic didn’t miss a beat, an ace and forehand running out the game and 4-4.
Nishikori lost a single point - a Karlovic winner - in his next service game, and led 5-4.
Serving to stay in the match, a pair of aces were useful for Karlovic and games were 5-5.
Against all that had been happening, Karlovic hit two forehand winners and Nishikori introduced a pair of forehand errors and Karlovic broke serve to lead 6-5.
A Nishikori forehand return winner and 0-15. Ace and 15-15. Another and 30-15. A third and two set points. A wide return and the set to Karlovic 7-5.
Nishikori opened set four with a solid service hold. 1-0.
Two aces and Karlovic levelled 1-1.
And so the set continued without any drama and no sign of a break point until game eight where Karlovic found trouble.
He reached 40-30, but then needed to save two break points before finally holding for 4-4.
At 4-5 and 15-15, Karlovic served an ace, but then a fine Nishikori return forced a volley error and 30-30. Ace for 40-30. And another. 5-5.
Two great Karlovic returns produced errors and a backhand down the line winner brought up three break points. A backhand return winner and the break for 6-5. Karlovic would serve to take it to a fifth set.
A trio of aces, and three set points. A fourth ace for the game and set 7-5.
Nishikori began set five with a service hold, a backhand winner the best part. 1-0.
An increasingly confident Karlovic had 40-15 before excellent returning from Nishikori took it to deuce. In turn, the Croatian serve solved the issue and games were 1-1.
Sharp Nishikori volley and 30-15. He held 2-1.
Quick love game from Karlovic and 2-2. 15-15 on the Nishikori serve. Karlovic missed a forehand chance. The game was for Japan 2-2
Three Karlovic aces. 40-0. Crisp volley and another fast hold. 3-2.
Love game from Nishikori and 3-3.
4-4 soon after.
A wonderful forehand return winner from Karlovic, and then a Nishikori forehand into the net. 0-30. A volley into the net and three break points. One saved with a Karlovic shot long. Another saved when Karlovic hit the net. Deuce when Karlovic again found the net. Service held and Nishikori escaped to lead 5-4.
Karlovic now under pressure to hold and stay in the match.
Neat volley and 30-0. Second serve ace and then another ace for 5-5.
30-0 for Nishikori. A miss wide and 30-15. Two Karlovic mishits and 6-5 Nishikori.
Ace, then a Karlovic error. 15-15. A backhand pass from Nishikori and 15-30. Ace #57 for 30-30. #58 and game point. Game and 6-6.
A stupid tie break to decide the match - a lottery which the players didn’t deserve after a wonderful match. More on that in a later comment
Nishikori had the initial edge 4-1. 4-2 at first end change. 4-3 Nishikori with two serves to come. 3-6 Karlovic and quickly 5-6. 6-6 and second end change.
Magic volley from Karlovic and 7-6, two serves to come. Great return from Nishikori forcing error and 7-7. Amazingly, Karlovic lost both his serves, and Nishikori led 8-7. Match points after Karlovic returned long.
Kei Nishikori won 6-3 7-6(6) 5-7 5-7 7-6(10-7)
A tremendous match which I wish had gone longer than it did - it deserved to be decided by fifth set advantage, but credit to both players for the memorable display.
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