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Kei Nishikori vs Jo-Wilfried Tsonga: Australian Open live scores

23rd January, 2016
Start Time: 11am (AEDT)
Court: Hisense Arena
Nishikori Last Ten Matches: 6-4
Tsonga Last Ten Matches: 7-3
Kei Nishikori takes on Andy Murray in the fourth round of the US Open. (Photo: Wiki Commons)
Roar Guru
23rd January, 2016
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Two of the top seeds in the men’s draw will go head-to-head with Kei Nishikori and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga meeting in the fourth round of the Australian Open to battle for a quarter-final berth. Join The Roar for live scores from 11am (AEDT).

Tsonga has faced some tough opposition throughout the Australian Open so far in 2016 and his meeting with Nishikori will be no different as the French ninth seed gears up for what shapes to be yet another big match.

Tsonga began 2016 at the Auckland Open where he fell in the semifinals to Roberto Bautista Agut after taking the first set 3-6, 7-6, 6-4.

The Frenchman met world No.46 Marcos Baghdatis in the first round who he played out a four-set match with, eventually coming out victorious 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.

Following his victory over Baghdatis, Tsonga took on the surprisingly competitive Australian world No.310 Omar Jasika. The world No.10 was made to fight hard for a win with the 18-year old pushing him in the first set, and he was very nearly the victim of a massive upset. Tsonga stuck true however and managed to pull through in straight sets 7-5, 6-1, 6-4.

Tsonga then set up a third round match-up with compatriot Pierre-Hugues Herbert, who like Jasika pushed him however the highly ranked right-hander prevailed in straight sets 6-4, 7-6, 7-6.

He must fight very hard to earn a win over Nishikori with the match no doubt set to test both players.

Nishikori has won seven of his last ten matches and didn’t have the run-in to the Australian Open he would have been hoping for.

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The Japanese world no. 7 spent week one in Brisbane where he made a quarter-final exit at the hands of Bernard Tomic 3-6, 6-1, 3-6 after defeating Mikhail Kukushkin in the second round 6-3, 6-4 and receiving a bye in the first round.

It was the first time he had played since braving the ATP World Tour Finals where he managed to defeat Tomas Berdych during the round robin stage but lost to eventual winner and runner-up respectively Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.

Nishikori opened the Australian Open with a win over German Philipp Kohlschreiber in straight sets 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.

He then downed American Austin Krajicek 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 to go on to meet 26th seed Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in the third round, winning in four sets 7-5, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Nishikori’s lack of a run-in to the first grand slam of the year and relatively easy draw which has only seen him face off against two competitive players in Bernard Tomic and Garcia-Lopez, will serve as a major disadvantage.

He must return to top form against Tsonga following a short turnaround if he is to have any hope of going through to the quarter-finals.

The pair have played each other a total of six times with Nishikori winning the majority of meetings with four wins.

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Most recently, they faced off during the quarter-finals of the French Open in 2015 with Tsonga winning in a five-set thriller 6-1, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3.

Tsonga and Nishikori have played five matches on hard court with Nishikori winning all but one of those.

The winner moves through to the quarter-finals and will take on either world No.1 Novak Djokovic or fourteenth seed Frenchman Gilles Simon.

Prediction
This match will go right down to the wire, every point will count and be extremely competitive. It will reach at least four sets with the game mainly hinging on service. Expect Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to come out on top.

Tsonga in four sets.

Join The Roar for live scores from 11am (AEDT), and drop a comment in the box below if you’re watching the match.

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