By Chris Oddo | Friday October 26, 2018
Kei Nishikori breezed past Dominic Thiem in Vienna to significantly bolster his London chances.
Photo Source: Erste Bank Open
Kei Nishikori bolstered his chances of reaching the Nitto ATP Finals in London with a 6-3, 6-1 takedown of hometown favorite and top seed Dominic Thiem on Friday at the Erste Bank Open.
Nishikori improved to 3-1 against Thiem by winning the pair’s first ever hardcourt meeting in decisive fashion. Nishikori won 17 of 23 second-serve points and broke five times on ten opportunities in a match that was lopsided for all but a few games late in the first set.
Thiem battled back from 0-5 down to 3-5 but failed to convert a break from 0-40 with Nishikori serving in the ninth game and only won one more game from there.
Nishikori picks up 90 points with his victory and moves 25 clear of John Isner for ninth in the Race to London standings. The Japanese star could pick up another 320 points if he wins the title—he’ll face Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Kukushkin in Saturday’s semifinals.
Qualifier Kukushkin battled past Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics, 4-6, 7-6(2), 7-6(4).
Nishikori has not won a title since 2016, but the World No.11 is into his sixth semifinal of 2018.
Second-seeded Kevin Anderson reached the semifinals of the lower half when Borna Coric retired due to injury while trailing 7-6(2), 1-2. Anderson, who improved to 42-16 and reached his seventh semifinal of 2018, will face either Fernando Verdasco or Gael Monfils in the semis.