Marin Cilic vs Kei Nishikori Prediction & Betting Tips - ATP Japan Open

Prediction published on 25/09/2024, 05:32  by Daniel Ngulu | Modified on 25/09/2024 at 05:35 in Tennis Predictions

In-form Marin Cilic will rekindle his rivalry with wildcard Kei Nishikori when they battle in Tokyo. This first round encounter will be played on Thursday. Below are stats for this match and our prediction.

Cilic is in the best form he has been in two years. The Croat is on a five-match winning streak and is coming off his first tour success in three years. After battling fitness issues for more than a year, he rose against all odds to claim the inaugural Hangzhou Open.

He started at that ATP 250 tournament ranked outside the world's top 700 places. With this momentum, he will be confident of victory here. Cilic has won six times against Nishikori with one of his wins coming in the 2014 US Open final.

The former world number three, who has compiled an 8-6 record, is now up to 210th in the live ranking.

Nishikori has also had a considerable share of success against Cilic. He has the head-to-head advantage in this matchup, having won nine times.

Currently, on a two-match winning run in this fixture, Nishikori claimed one of his wins against Cilic in Tokyo. That was in the 2015 tournament where he reached the semi-finals.

Nishikori is a two-time Japan Open champion, winning in 2012 and 2014. He also finished as runner-up in 2018. The 12-time tour champion has also battled with injuries in the last couple of seasons, which has impacted his form and world ranking.

He is currently ranked 200th in the ATP. The former world number four, who has compiled a 9-7 record, is coming off a first-round exit in Chengdu.

The winner here will take on Casper Ruud or Jordan Thompson for a quarter-final berth.