Hello, welcome to men’s semifinal day at the US Open. First up on Ashe is the five-set specialist Kei Nishikori against Wimbledon champion Djokovic. Despite the two top six scalps snatched by the Japanese icon, not many people give him much of a chance here. We’ll see if he can prove people wrong once again.

DJOKOVIC 4-6 6-1 6-7 3-6 NISHIKORI. GAME, SET AND MATCH! Kei Nishikori becomes the first ever Asian man to reach a Grand Slam final, breaking the world number one in the final game to capture his third successive top 10 win. An incredible effort.

DJOKOVIC 4-6 6-1 6-7 3-5 NISHIKORI. With each and every game, Nishikori has served better than ever, hitting his spots more and more precisely to put him within 1 (one!) game of the US Open final.

DJOKOVIC 4-6 6-1 6-7 3-4 NISHIKORI. One thing that has begun to work is Djokovic’s serve. In a similar spectacle to the previous service game, Djokovic pounds through another service game to keep himself within touching distance.

DJOKOVIC 4-6 6-1 6-7 2-4 NISHIKORI. HOLD! Three to go becomes two to go as Djokovic lets another few errors go as Nishikori continues to direct all lightening-paced traffic to the wayward backhand. Everybody is waiting for the Serb to burst into life, but so far, not so good.

DJOKOVIC 4-6 6-1 6-7 2-3 NISHIKORI. This time, there’s slightly more life coming from Djokovic’s side of the court as he pounds down four successive monstrous serves, exhaling loudly as they rain down and finishing up with two consecutive aces. Game on. Perhaps

DJOKOVIC 4-6 6-1 6-7 1-3 NISHIKORI. HOLD! Two holds, three to go. Not many believe that Nishikori will hold five times in a row under pressure against the best returner of the world, but the expected pressure from Djokovic is lacking as Nishikori simply sweeps up all his opponent’s missed returns and short responses.

DJOKOVIC 4-6 6-1 6-7 1-2 NISHIKORI. Djokovic still isn’t entirely convincing as he looks to notch up his first game of the fourth set, but the serve is there. At 30-30, a couple of big serves along with a couple of returns Nishikori won’t be entirely pleased by, and the Serb does get his first hold of the set.

DJOKOVIC 4-6 6-1 6-7 0-2 NISHIKORI. HOLD! It looks like Djokovic is already back in the set as a couple of errors leave Nishikori staring down the barrel of a 0-40 deficit. However, belief is flowing through the Japanese’s veins and he pounds forehand after forehand to erase them one by one. On the other side, Djokovic is still missing and still barely responsive in the humidity. A final long backhand, and the break is just about preserved

DJOKOVIC 4-6 6-1 6-7 0-1 NISHIKORI. BREAK! Some big, bruising returns from Nishikori to begin the fourth set, but also quite a lifeless game from Djokovic. After a series of balls dumped limply into the net, the Serb relinquishes his service in the first game of the set.

DJOKOVIC 4-6 6-1 6-7 NISHIKORI. SET! Nishikori roars into the tiebreak, with a service winner and two screaming returns straight at Djokovic’s feet to take a double mini-break lead with only three shots hit. 4-0 quickly becomes 2-4 with two Nishikori errors. A Djokovic double fault follows, a Nishikori double fault comes soon after. Nerves and errors in all directions, but it’s Nishikori who just puts enough balls in the court and escapes to take an incredible 2-1 lead.

DJOKOVIC 4-6 6-1 6-6 NISHIKORI. The world number one responds with his own effortless service game, punching out an ace to bring this thrilling third set all the way to a tiebreak.

DJOKOVIC 4-6 6-1 5-6 NISHIKORI. If anyone thought Nishikori would slink back into the shadows after the disappointment of serving to stay in the set, think again. He responds by positively destroying the ball, smashing through the Djokovic defense and dropping in a few well-placed serves to move a nose in front once again.

DJOKOVIC 4-6 6-1 5-5 NISHIKORI. HOLD! Djokovic quickly finds his routine stroll to 40-15 scuppered by a couple of loose errors. Soon enough, he is two points away from dropping the set. After a long, epic rally, the the Serb draws out an error with a well-timed slice, before holding with a big serve and an almighty roar towards his box.

DJOKOVIC 4-6 6-1 4-5 NISHIKORI. BREAK! After playing what looked to be a perfectly-timed dash for the line, Nishikori somewhat throws it away with a hatful of errors and a double fault to close it off. On the other side, Djokovic went back to basics, planting every return of serve and every groundstroke in and deep. As evidenced by his ranking, it tends to work a lot.

DJOKOVIC 4-6 6-1 3-5 NISHIKORI. BREAK!! After slowly collecting himself throughout the set, Nishikori chooses the all-important 8th game to pounce into life with a trio of jawdroppers. First he demolishes a forehand return straight to Djokovic’s backhand. Then he pulls off a screamer of a running, angled crosscourt backhand passing shot. He finishes this glorious revival with a forehand return winner off a Djokovic serve, and the break is all his.

DJOKOVIC 4-6 6-1 3-4 NISHIKORI. Many people expected to fall apart after the energy-sapping third game, but the challenger has only gone from strength to strength in this set. He’s really feeling his serve now, clobbering a few brutal deliveries down the middle which belie his tiny frame, and he finishes by pivoting sharply on one foot as he pounds a backhand straight down the line.

DJOKOVIC 4-6 6-1 3-3 NISHIKORI. Djokovic continues to saunter through his service games and punches down an even easier hold than the last. Nishikori is still struggling with his return, and plenty of serves go unreturned.

DJOKOVIC 4-6 6-1 2-3 NISHIKORI. This time around, a much more encouraging hold from Nishikori with a couple of bazooka forehands straight out of set one. Between points, he still looks to be melting into the green surface at the back of the court, but it’s a much easier game for him as he restores the narrow lead.

DJOKOVIC 4-6 6-1 2-2 NISHIKORI. After the epic struggle of Nishikori’s last service game, Djokovic rubs salt in the Japanese’s wounds by dropping in a quick’n’easy hold, with help from some missed returns from his opponent. All the pressure straight back on the man who seems to be melting in the heat.

DJOKOVIC 4-6 6-1 1-2 NISHIKORI. Nishikori errors his way to a 15-40 deficit, but he saves himself in spectacular fashion. First a titanic struggle ensues with him spectacularly defending the net before slipping in an effortless drop volley. On the second, he decides to abjure all forehands and instead slinks around to crush his favoured backhand down the line. It looks like he’s out of the woods, but then a third break point comes. He fights his way to game point, but a Djokovic return winner followed by a valiant fistpump swipes it away. Another break point comes, and another, but at last Nishikori holds.