Nishikori, Wawrinka advance in Geneva

Kei Nishikori saved three straight match points in the deciding set before outlasting Kevin Anderson 2-6 6-4 7-6(6) in the Geneva Open quarterfinals.

The second-seeded Nishikori was serving at 4-5, 0-40 before rallying to beat the 62nd-ranked South African, who fired 14 aces.

Top-seeded and defending champion Stan Wawrinka also dropped the first set in his quarterfinal, against Sam Querrey of the United States, though ultimately had an easier passage in a 4-6 7-5 6-2 win.

After Nishikori’s escape in the 10th game of the third set, he also trailed 4-2 in the tiebreaker. Still, he soon created a second match-point chance with a forehand crosscourt service return for a winner. He clinched it with a forehand winner off a looping net-cord ball.

The No.9-ranked Japanese player will face 33rd-ranked Mischa Zverev of Germany in the semifinals.

Australian Open quarterfinalist Zverev, who came through qualifying, beat fifth-seeded American Steve Johnson 6-4 7-5.

Wawrinka’s next opponent is unseeded Russian Andrey Kuznetsov, who defeated German lucky loser Cedrik-Marcel Stebe 6-2 1-6 7-5.