In that first set, Cilic won 91% of the points when he landed his first serve. That's the sort of tennis that would please Goran Ivanisevic. Just picking up on Piers Newbery's earlier point about his match starting at 5pm local time - what sort of madness is that? We're back to Sunday finals next year. Nishikori serving at the start of the second, holding to huge cheers with a gorgeous forehand down the line.

Pat Cash
1987 Wimbledon champion on BBC Radio 5 live

Image source, AP

"Cilic turned around very calmly towards his coach at the end of that set to say 'I'm on my way'. Nishikori needs to get the blood pumping. Cilic is winning a few points a game with that big serve."

Image source, BBC Sport

That will do nicely. In just 33 minutes, Marin Cilic is a third of the way to his first Grand Slam title. Another huge serve, Cilic into the net, only for the ball not to come back. The Croat is dictating play, serving well and mixing his play. Kei Nishikori just hasn't settled and must find a way to disrupt the big man.

This is a huge backhand exchange...cross-court, then slicing...Nishikori wide. 15-0. This is far too good from Cilic, in to the net and angling a deft volley that Nishikori can't chase down. 30-0. Now the Japenese is long. Three set points...

Image source, Reuters

Nishikori, watch on his left wrist, blows hard as he looks for the weapons to trouble the huge hitting of Cilic. Better from the Japanese, moving Cilic around the court. That's too good, though, a double-hander down the line from Cilic. 30-30. When Cilic can't get a serve back, Nishikori beats his chest and completes the hold. Business time...

Piers Newbery
BBC Sport at Flushing Meadows

"There is much discussion about the half-empty stands, another reason why scheduling a major sporting event at 5pm on a Monday isn't ideal. Maybe they've all nipped home to get jumpers, it's pretty parky halfway up so must be teeth-chattering at the top of the stadium. The stiff breeze is not helping the tennis much either."

Players on their chairs, Cilic towelling down. Music plays, you wouldn't have that at SW19, would you? Nishikori serving to stay in the first set, new balls on his strings. Hello, what's this? Nishikori not happy with the batch, the ball kids giving them to the umpire. It looks they've been given the OK...

Andrew: Nishikori has worked miracles to reach this US Open final, but you simply can't see past the Marin Cilic serve, and couple that with his years of ATP tour experience. You have to think that Nishikori is going to have to produce yet another thrilling display to win, Cilic on the other hand just has to play to his strengths.

Image source, AP

So, we've learned that Cilic isn't all about the serve, but it's the Cilic serve on which Nishikori must make an impression if he if to get anywhere near that silver trophy. The Japanese finally takes a point off the 14th seed's serve, but a tremendous forehand on the run shows the range of Cilic's long levers. Hold completed with an unreturnable. If I was in to puns I'd be saying something like 'Cilic bang!' But I'm not that sort of bloke.

Pat Cash
1987 Wimbledon champion on BBC Radio 5 live

"Clever play, but there both players were so nervous on that final break point. Cilic tried to get it to Nishikori's forehand. Good solid play."

One, two saved. Nishikori's serve getting him out of trouble as Cilic nets consecutive returns. Now the Croat is in to the rally, both men dancing around the baseline. Cilic slicing and dicing...Nishikori is wide! Cilic breaks. First blood to the Croat.

Ashe finally filling up, spectators in the top tier miles in the sky looking down on a blue rectangle surrounded by green. Nishikori at the far end, pressured to snapping by a leaping Cilic forehand. 0-30. Ooohhh, that's sloppy. Forehand netted. Three break points...

Image source, AP

The energetic flapping of Old Glory high above Ashe tells us that it's a choppy old evening, chilly in NYC. The court may be slower in the colder conditions, but Cilic still bangs it down with plenty of Gs. Another hold to love, that's 11 consecutive points on serve for Cilic.

Nuren Ahmed:, external The last 14 Grand Slam tourneys have either been won by Djokovic or his conqueror. Good news for Kei.

"Find your seat," says the umpire to the late-comers as Nishikori prepares to serve. Once more, where have you been? You've had all day to be late. Firecracker of an opening rally, Nishikori literally jumping into every forehand. Bar one loose backhand in to the fish-catcher, another straightforward hold. Whipping through the early games.

Pat Cash
1987 Wimbledon champion on BBC Radio 5 live

"Cilic's forehand will decide the match. In the tight situations will it stick? If it does like it did against Federer he will win the title."

Not a lot of noise inside Ashe as Nishikori's coach, Michael Chang, looks on. Black cap, worried look, Chang looks like a man playing poker. Cilic with his back to us, finding range with the bombs. A simple hold to love.

Image source, Getty Images

Jeff Tarango
Former professional tennis player on BBC Radio 5 live

"A friend of mine in the dot.com industry was saying ticket prices went down the roof. You can get tickets for 350 dollars. But TV revenue has gone through the roof."

Nishikori serves from under his white cap at the far end as we look. Cilic is already imposing himself, pressurising with a smash, with Nishikori then dumping into the net. 0-30. Nishikori under pressure, but his serve is reliable. As a plane swooshes over the Big Apple, Nishikori holds.

Pat Cash
1987 Wimbledon champion on BBC Radio 5 live

"It's very exciting. I was talking to a friend of mine who was saying he was not going to go because he was not excited and there was no Federer. But I think this will be an absolute ripper, a tight match all the way till the end."