[sc:AUS15-250 ]Japanese star and World No. 7 Kei Nishikori made quick work of Philipp Kohlschreiber in the first round of the 2016 Australian Open. He now has a date set with a close friend, Austin Krajicek, in the second round of the tournament.
Can Nishikori maintain his dominant game against an opponent he knows all too well, or will Krajicek put on quite a surprise? Read on as we take a look at this intriguing matchup. There’s plenty more Australian Open action to go around. Check out the complete previews for Roger Federer vs. Alexandr Dolgopolov and Novak Djokovic vs. Quentin Halys.
Kei Nishikori needed just one hour and 55 minutes to best Philipp Kohlschreiber in the first round of the Australian Open. Nishikori was dominant in straight sets, winning 6-4, 6-3 and 6-3 to escape the excruciating heat coming from the venue. The Japanese ace broke Kohlschreiber’s serve four times and allowed no break points on his own serve.
[sc:Other240banner ]Nishikori will need to be at the top of his play in the next match, taking on friend Austin Krajicek. The American knows Nishikori’s game pretty well, and could take advantage of a few breaks of concentration. They’ve only met once in the quarterfinals of the Memphis Open, with Nishikori winnng his previous outing against Krajicek in three sets, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, but not without committing eight double faults. He also just put in 59 percent of his first serves.
If Nishikori is to get the job done against his good pal, then he’ll need to put out one dominant serve after another backed-up by a dynamic all-court game. Nishikori won 76 percent of his first serve points in his previous match against Krajicek. He’s even red-hot entering this matchup after hitting 35 winners and just 21 unforced errors in the first round. Expect Nishikori to not let up during this match.
Nishikori has not been consistent on the hard court recently, going 8-6 in his last 14 matches on the surface.
Betting on Austin Krajicek
Austin Krajicek exploded for a big win against Di Wu in the first round of the Australian Open. He needed just three sets to dispatch Wu, 6-4, 6-1, 6-3. Krajicek now gets a shot at glory when he takes on friend and seventh seed Kei Nishikori.
While Krajicek lost his first and only match thus far against Nishikori, he gave the Japanese ace all he could handle. Krajicek took Nishikori to all three sets in the quarterfinals of the Memphis Open in 2015. The American excelled on serve then, firing off 11 aces while committing just four double faults. He also won 77 percent of his first serve points against Nishikori.
Krajicek needs to work on his return game, though, if he is indeed looking to upset his Japanese opponent. He had 10 break point opportunities in their match from last year, but converted just two of them.
Then again, Krajicek seems to be in good shape and form at the Australian Open, as he fired off 13 aces in his three-set victory against Wu. He also won 84 percent of his first serve points, 86 percent of net points, and even 6 of 10 break point opportunities. The American also toned down on his errors, making just 18 unforced errors.
Writer’s Prediction
Krajicek is a tough matchup for Nishikori. While he may not win, he’ll be game throughout the match. His +1,200 line will be difficult to resist.
