Kei: Here to Stay

Yesterday I asked Kei Nishikori to fill out an application form for my Stars of the Future program. He did so by beating David Ferrer, in an absolute thriller. Deliberation over. Welcome to the club, Mr. Nishikori. Move over, Ernests - stop shoving, Marin! Kei is here to stay!

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I thought that, for once, the random semi-finalist might be the fourth seed. What kind of attitude is that? How ludicrous! Sorry, Ferru, but being the fourth seed dooms you to losing. There are only four contenders left for the spot of random semi-finalist - and why, indeed, could Kei Nishikori not be the next Jo-Wilfried Tsonga? Of the four players remaining, you'd have to say Nishikori is the least likely to get through - but who would have thought Jo-W could make it through Rafa Nadal to make the final of the Australian? Who would have thought Rainer Schuettler would be a Wimbledon semi-finalist at the age of 32? I think Kei has as good a chance as any. If he can beat Ferru, he can beat nearly anyone on hard courts. Hell, maybe he could even lop Rafa off at the legs like Jo-W did. I'm excited.

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Actually, whichever one of these four makes it to the semis, it's going to be interesting. Both fourth round matches in this quarter are absolute blockbusters. We have a match of two Stars - our newest inductee Nishikori against man of the moment Juan Martin del Potro. You'd have to favour del Potro, but Nishikori has proved is not a man to be taken lightly. This one could go the distance. And then we have two top ten guys in the other match - Murray against Wawrinka. Murray would surely start favourite, but Federer isn't the only man riding high on the aftermath of Olympic gold. Stan the Man could quite possibly get him. And any of these four players stands a chance of taking out the big man, Rafa, in the semis - if Rafa gets that far.

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That said, Rafa's roadblock Nalbandian went out today - and we all know Ferrer, who knocked him out last year, is also gone. I can't see Querrey, Fish or Monfils giving him too much difficulty - though I suppose you never know with Monfils, and it never pays to underestimate the hometown boys. But in the semis, whichever one of those four men is the random semi-finalist... ooh, watch out Rafa. They're a-coming to get ya.

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On the women's side, Dinara's route is looking nice. She had a bit of a near miss today, but she righted the ship and steadied herself, which was good for her and shows admirable mental toughness. I don't think Anna-Lena Groenefeld will be much of a match for her, and though I like what I've been seeing from Amelie Mauresmo, I think Dinara will eat her (or Pennetta, whicever gets through) in the quarters. The semi, however, could be a corker - you'd have to imagine it'd be a Williams. Aggie Rad might have something to say about it, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say it'll definitely be a Williams. That would be a blockbuster match - a Williams, in the US, against the hottest player on tour. I'd start calling the fire engines now, 'cause this one will burn down the house.

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Despite the presence of a lot of seeds, the other side of the draw is not quite so fun. But I will say this - would it not be rad to see Patty Schnyder in the semis? She always seems to hang out the round of sixteen and the quarters, but rarely the semis and never the final. I think that'd be awesome. And it might be nice to see Jankovic make it too. If she's going to be #1, she might as well deserve it.

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Today's Results

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US Open (Flushing Meadows)

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Men's Draw

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Rafael Nadal def. Viktor Troicki, 6-4 6-3 6-0

Mardy Fish def. James Blake, 6-3 6-3 7-6 (7-4)

Sam Querrey def. Ivo Karlovic, 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-5) 6-2

Gael Monfils def. David Nalbandian, 6-3 6-4 6-2

Kei Nishikori def. David Ferrer, 6-4 6-4 3-6 2-6 7-5

Juan Martin del Potro def. Gilles Simon, 6-4 6-7 (4-7) 6-1 3-6 6-3

Andy Murray def. Jurgen Melzer, 6-7 (5-7) 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-1 6-3

Stanislas Wawrinka def. Flavio Cipolla, 5-7 6-7 (4=7) 6-4 6-0 6-4

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Women's Draw

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Dinara Safina def. Timea Bansinszky, 3-6 7-5 6-2

Serena Williams def. Ai Sugiyama, 6-2 6-1

Venus Williams def. Alona Bondarenko, 6-2 6-1

Amelie Mauresmo def. Julie Coin, 6-4 6-4

Severine Bremond def. Tathiana Garbin, 7-5 3-6 6-4

Agineszka Radwanska def. Dominika Cibulkova, 6-0 6-3

Flavia Pennetta def. Nadia Petrova, 4-6 6-4 6-3

Anna-Lena Groenefeld def. Alize Cornet, 6-4 7-5