Fourth-seeded Kei Nishikori beat third-seeded Milos Raonic of Canada 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-4 in the final of the Japan Open on Sunday to win his fourth ATP Tour title of the season. With a typhoon bearing down on the Japanese capital, Nishikori won his second straight tournament and the seventh of his career with a hard-fought victory at Ariake Colosseum.
The contest was a contrast in styles, with Raonic relying on his big serve and Nishikori utilizing his speed and mobility to force his opponent into many unforced errors. Raonic had 22 aces in a match that featured few long rallies, while Nishikori managed just one. Sunday’s match was a replay of the 2012 final when Nishikori beat Raonic in three sets to become the first Japanese man to win the event.