Kei Nishikori wins third consecutive Memphis Open title

 

Japan’s Kei Nishikori created history by winning the Memphis Open title for the third consecutive year. He defeated the South African Kevin Anderson 6-4, 6-4 in the final. Anderson meanwhile became only the third South African to reach the final in Memphis and the first since Wayne Ferreira in 1992.

The fifth-ranked Nishikori won his eighth career ATP title and first since Tokyo last year. This also is the first time Nishikori has won the same event in three consecutive years. Nishikori, the U.S. Open runner-up, is now 10-2 this year.

Jimmy Connors, Tommy Haas and Todd Martin are the other players who won two consecutive titles here. Connors actually won two titles consecutively on two occasions. Connors lost the 1980 final to John McEnroe in his first three-peat bid and lost in the quarterfinals to Brad Gilbert in 1986 on his second.

The winners were presented with one of the most unique trophies on the ATP World Tour: custom-made Gibson Memphis ES-335 Figured Gloss Semi-Hollowbody electric guitars. The doubles winners Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Santiago Gonzalez were also given guitar as a trophy.