Nishikori beats Tsitsipas to advance in Tokyo

Japanese star Kei Nishikori is giving local fans plenty to cheer about in Tokyo this week, advancing to the semifinals with an impressive win against rising Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas.

The third-seeded Nishikori posted a 6-3 6-3 win against the world No.15, firing seven aces and losing only 13 points on serve.

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Nishikori has now won 10 of his past 12 matches, boosting his chances of qualifying for the ATP Finals in London next month. The home favourite – aiming to win the tournament for a third time – now faces Frenchman Richard Gasquet in the semifinals.

The No.25-ranked Gasquet earnt his place in the final four with a 7-6(6) 7-6(4) over second seed Kevin Anderson.

There were mixed fortunes for Canada’s top-ranked pair Denis Shapovalov and Milos Raonic in other quarterfinal matches.

The 31st-ranked Shapovalov saved a match point in a second set tiebreak, roaring back to defeat German Jan-Lennard Struff 4-6 7-6(7) 6-4.

“In the third set I felt a little bit more momentum,” Shapovalov told ATPWorldTour.com. “I felt I was able to free up a bit more and I managed to get an early break and from there I just kind of ran with it.”

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Russian qualifier Daniil Medvedev ended Raonic’s campaign with a 7-6(4) 6-3 win.

The No.32-ranked Medvedev now plays Shapovalov in a semifinal featuring two of the game’s most promising young stars.

Medvedev won his first ATP title earlier this season in Sydney and claimed a second in Winston-Salem on the eve of the US Open.

Shapovalov is aiming to reach his first tour-level final; his semifinal record at ATP events is 0-3.

However, he leads Medevedev 2-0 in their head-to-head series, winning previous meetings in Washington DC this year and at the 2017 US Open.