Kei Nishikori stuns Novak Djokovic to reach US Open final in four sets

The 24-year-old Japanese player did to Djokovic in the heat of the day what Andy Murray could not do to him in the still of the night over the same distance in the quarters - so he has much to be proud of.

Nishikori has not won the title yet. After beating and beasting Djokovic in just under three hours, he could not even guess who his opponent would be when he left the sweltering heat of Flushing Meadows behind him late on Saturday afternoon, heading for his hotel as heavy rain swept New York and delayed the start of the second semi-final between Roger Federer and Marin Cilic, the Guardian reports.

But Nishikori knows one thing: history is on his racket. If he takes his chances, as he has done in his past three matches - and never with more conviction than when outlasting the world No 1 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 - he can become the first Asian man in the Open era to win a grand slam title. He is already the first to reach a final, the first to reach a semi-final. This is a pleasing curve for him, and he said later: "I hope they were staying up to watch me, even though it was four o'clock in the morning."

They surely were, and in good numbers. If he wins the final, there might be a few ratings records broken in Japan.