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A win that proved he has reached a different dimension, a testament to his growth. Kei Nishikoris five-set victory over Andy Murray in the quarter-finals of this years US Open was one of the best of his career. Probably one of his biggest since reaching the final in New York in 2014.And it was impressive, coming over four hours and from two sets to one down. But was it, as Japanese tennis veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm suggested, a victory that proved the 26-year-old Nishikori has reached a different dimension? For many the jury is still out.Not that Nishikori has not been successful already. He has won 11 career titles, an Olympic bronze medal, reached the final of the US Open, made three Masters finals, and hit as high as No 4 in the world. But there has been a common theme that seems to have prevented any further progress: fatigue or injury.In the 2014 US Open final he was beaten in straight sets by Marin Cilic, saying afterwards that his body was heavy. After losing in the semi-finals in New York to Stan Wawrinka this year, he said: I was definitely tired, especially in the end. At Wimbledon he did not look fit from the outset against Cilic and eventually retired at 6-1 5-1 down. Nishikori beat Andy Murray at this years US Open There is no doubting Nishikoris talents, but his progression to the very top has been hampered by consistent injury issues. There is also a question of whether he can physically go the distance throughout the two weeks of a Grand Slam.In 2014, one of his coaches, Dante Bottini, said that part of Nishikoris problem with injuries was mental and he didnt really know how to deal with pain and injury.It was a clearly a priority for Nishikori and his team at the time.If I have one goal for next year that would be for Kei to go out there and play 95 percent of the year healthy, said Nishikoris coach Michael Chang in December 2014. To go through the year without having an injury or something happen that takes you out for two to three weeks at a time would be a huge accomplishment and that alone would take his tennis to the next level. Mark Petchey looks ahead to the ATP World Tour Finals Chang also said that he felt Nishikori had an opportunity to win a major on any surface.That challenge, though, has not materialised. While he has performed well at the US Open, he has never made it beyond the fourth round at Wimbledon, has only made one quarter-final at Roland Garros and never progressed beyond the last eight in Melbourne.So what does Nishikori need to do to make the next step up?Perhaps his injuries have just been bad luck. Perhaps he need to lighten his load in 2017 and the years ahead. One aspect that could really help him win a Slam would be his serve Michael Chang I have been playing a lot of matches this year, he said last week. Maybe thats why I have been hurting these couple months, not feeling 100 percent yet.At the moment his body seems as though sometimes it is his toughest opponent.But because of his style of play that might not change. Nishikori does not have a huge serve - of the eight players in London he has the fewest aces in 2016 - and rather he excels with his court coverage and brilliant backhand.But grinding out so many points appears to be taking its toll on the world No 5.Chang admitted earlier this year that one aspect that could really help him win a Slam would be his serve. Michael Chang started working with Nishikori ahead of the 2014 season He added: Its improved a lot over the past couple of years but it still needs to get better and more consistent.Nishikori mixed it up at the US Open by serving and volleying, using the tactic to great effect against Murray in the quarter-finals.Sky Sports pundit Mark Petchey said: Hes definitely trying to protect his serve a bit better this year against obviously great returners.But will that be enough for Nishikori to consistently compete with the best?Ahead of the ATP World Tour finals, he acknowledged: I have to do a little better in the big tournaments, especially the Grand Slams and all the ATP World Tour Masters 1000s.Physically, I got much stronger the last couple of years. I try to work hard every day, try to be confident in every match and enjoy my tennis. Its good motivation.Is motivation enough to see the Japanese make the next step? That remains to be seen.Check our game-by-game coverage from all group matches at the ATP World Tour Finals in London - including Andy Murray - on skysports.com/tennis, our app for mobile devices and iPad and our Twitter account @skysportstennis. Also See: Panel predictions Stan the danger man Murrays year in numbers Tour Finals at The O2 Cheap Nike Kobe Bryant Basketball Shoes China . Nathan MacKinnon, Jamie McGinn and Jan Hejda also scored for the Avalanche, who won despite being outshot 38-23. MacKinnons goal, also on the power play, came with just over a minute remaining. Wholesale Basketball Shoes Shop . No. 13-seeded John Isner and No. 21 Philipp Kohlschreiber were among six players who dropped out of the tournament on Tuesday, joining No. 12 seed Tommy Haas and two other players who withdrew on Monday. http://www.cheapbasketballshoesstore.net/ .C. -- Al Jefferson joked that he feels he can score from anywhere on the court. Wholesale Basketball Shoes . The team says the Spain international has a muscle pull in his right leg. Barcelona hosts third-division side Cartagena in the return leg of their round-of-32 tie after winning their first meeting 4-1. Discount Basketball Shoes . -- Anaheim Ducks defenceman Luca Sbisa will be out at least six weeks with a torn tendon in his right hand. The first weekend of the NCAA volleyball tournament provided its share of upsets, but the top four seeds advanced without much drama. So No. 1 Nebraska, No. 2 Minnesota, No. 3 Wisconsin and No. 4 Texas get to be hosts for the regional semifinals and finals on Friday and Saturday. Heres a look at what weve seen so far, and what may be in store.Can anybody beat the home teams?This year the NCAA went away from predetermined sites for the regionals, which had been the format since 2003, and opted to have the highest remaining seed in each region host. Its safe to say the top four project as overwhelming favorites to advance to the final four in Columbus, Ohio, on Dec. 15 and 17.Why? Their combined record at home this season is 59-3.Minnesota was 15-0 at the Sports Pavilion both this season and in 2015. The Golden Gophers havent lost at home since falling on Oct. 22, 2014, to Nebraska in five sets.Wisconsin is 13-1 at UW Field House this season; its home loss was to Minnesota on Oct. 12. Meanwhile, the Badgers handed Texas -- 15-1 at home -- its only defeat at Gregory Gymnasium this year, on Sept. 18. Texas has lost at home only eight times since 2007.Defending NCAA champion Nebraska is 16-1 this year in the Devaney Center, falling only to Ohio State on Oct. 1.A big part of these teams success is their fan support. Nebraska leads the nation in average attendance at home matches (8,199), with Wisconsin third (5,915), Minnesota fourth (4,766) and Texas ninth (2,250).Theyre always great, Nebraska libero Justine Wong-Orantes said of the Huskers faithful. But I think I felt it more now that its tournament time. They know when were struggling and when we need to be picked up.Lincoln regional: Morning madnessNobody shows up like Nebraska fans. But for the semifinal, theyll need to do it on a weekday morning. With all the regionals being held in the Central time zone, somebody has to go early. Turns out it will be the match between two enormous heavyweights in the sport.The four-time champion Huskers will face seven-time champ Penn State at 11 a.m. CT Friday. What a way to start the regional semifinals.The Big Ten-champion Huskers swept both their early-round foes, New Hampshire and TCU, and the program now has 100 victories all time in the NCAA tournament. The Huskers beat the No. 16 seed Nittany Lions twice this season, although the match at Penn State went five sets.Nebraska leads their series 18-10 and has won five of the last six meetings. Penn State, at 24-9, has its most losses since 1987, when the Nittany Lions went 27-9 and lost in the NCAA tournaments first round.While one semifinal is an all-Big Ten affair, the other matches two Pac-12 teams. Conference champion Washington, the No. 8 seed led by league player of the year Courtney Schwan, beat Arizona in both their regular-season meetings. But the Wildcats, despite losing four of their last six matches in the regular season, are coming off an upset of No. 9 seed Michigan State.Arizona, at 20-14, has the most losses of any team in the Sweet 16. But the Wildcats made it this far, and thats what matters.Austin regional: Giants and sleepersConsistency remains the Longhorns hallmark, even if this season cost coach Jerritt Elliott some shut-eye.This season hasnt been as easy as seasons past -- Ive lost a lot more sleep, he said about trying to solve some of Texas supposed shortcomings. Still, here is Texas in the Sweet 16 for the 11th consecutive season. The Longhorns have made the final four seven of the last eight years.The problem, though, has come in finishing the job. For all their success, the Longhorns have just two NCAA titles: in 1988 and 20012.dddddddddddd Theyve had a few stinging upsets in recent years, including 2014, when they lost to BYU in the national semifinals.Now Texas will face the No. 13 seed Cougars in the regional semis. The Longhorns are 65-9 in NCAA matches played in Austin, Texas.The Longhorns didnt win the Big 12 title this season; Kansas did. But that ended up being the highlight of the Jayhawks season, as the No. 5 seeds were upset in the second round by Creighton. The Bluejays, who are in their second consecutive Sweet 16, won two five-set matches to get here.Creighton will take on No. 12 seed Michigan. Of the six Big Ten teams still in the tournament, the Wolverines are the only one in this regional.Madison regional: Unseeded but still kickingWhile Wisconsin and No. 6 Stanford breezed into the Sweet 16, their opponents, Ohio State and Florida State, had to grind through five-set matches to advance.Ohio State outlasted No. 14 seed Kansas State 17-15 in the fifth behind Taylor Hughes second triple-double of the season (41 assists, 15 digs, 14 kills). The Buckeyes are two matches away from playing in the final four in their hometown, but Wisconsin -- which swept Ohio State in both their Big Ten matches this season -- is a daunting roadblock.Wisconsin was especially impressive in its second-round sweep of Washington State, holding the Cougars to zero hitting percentage in the final two sets. Coach Kelly Sheffield said of his Badgers, I think our team just keeps getting better and better.In the other semifinal, six-time NCAA champ Stanford meets Florida State for the first time. The Cardinal swept Denver and Boise State in the first two rounds and have won 13 of their last 14 matches.Rookies are leading the way for Stanford, including Pac-12 freshman of the year Kathryn Plummer. Stanford is the top blocking team in the nation but must be wary of Florida State, which rallied from a deep hole to stun No. 11 seed Florida in one of the most dramatic matches of the tournament. The Gators were just two points away from a sweep, but the Seminoles came back and took the fifth set 15-12.We were in it to win a national championship and we had the talent to do so, Florida libero Caroline Knop said after the loss. Unfortunately, tonight we werent tough enough.Minneapolis regional: A little bit of everythingFour different conferences are represented at Minnesota. The Big Tens Gophers, who have made four trips to the final four, will take on SEC co-champion Missouri, which got some revenge against Purdue with a 3-1 victory in the second round. The Tigers were 35-0 in 2013 before falling to the Boilermakers in the second round.No. 15 seed Missouri is in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2010 and has never made the final four.I really thought that for us to have a shot, we were going to have to play really clean, Tigers coach Wayne Kreklow said. We talked a lot about that: staying aggressive but being smart.The Tigers will need more of that against Minnesota, which is led by Big Ten player of the year Sarah Wilhite and setter of the year Samantha Seliger-Swenson. The Gophers swept North Dakota and Hawaii, the latter match impacted when Big West player of the year Nikki Taylor, a senior, was lost three points in with an ankle injury.In the other semifinal, North Carolina is seeking to make its second regional final in the past three years. But the ACC-champion Tar Heels have not faced a Pac-12 team this season. They play the Pac-12s UCLA, which has won four NCAA titles, the most recent in 2011. ' ' '