Japan's tennis star Kei Nishikori outclasses world number one Novak Djokovic in the semi-final of the US Open, thus becoming the first Asian man to reach a Grand Slam singles final.

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Supporters of Japanese tennis player Kei Nishikori cheer while watching the US Open tennis semi-final match at Nishikori's home town of Matsue city on September 7, 2014. AFP PHOTO

Breakfast joy in Japan as Nishikori makes history

TOKYO, AFP – Japan's social media lit up on Sunday as the country awoke to the news that Kei Nishikori had become the first Asian man to reach a Grand Slam singles final.

Nishikori completed a historic 6-4 1-6 7-6 6-3 victory over the world number one Novak Djokovic in New York in the early hours of the morning local time which public broadcaster NHK hailed as "an unprecedented achievement for Japan".

Many bleary-eyed tennis fanatics had to watch live internet streams of the match – which began just after one o'clock in the morning Japan time and lasted close to three hours – with the action only available on television via a satellite subscription network.
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TV commentators screamed themselves hoarse, yelling "Nishikori through to the final!" as the 24-year-old dropped his racquet after clinching match point before sheepishly ruffling his hair, scarcely able to believe the scale of his achievement.