By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday July 28, 2023
Taylor Fritz eased past Kei Nishokori to set a semifinal with American JJ Wolf in Atlanta.
Photo Source: TTV<
Kei Nishikori’s return to the tour came to a halt on Friday at the Atlanta Open as ninth-ranked and top-seeded Taylor Fritz powered past the former World No.4 6-4, 6-2, to set a semifinal with compatriot JJ Wolf.
Nishikori was playing in his first ATP event since 2021 after having hip surgery and then suffering an ankle injury that delayed his return further at the start of this season.
Fritz won 25 of 29 first-serve point and needed just 73 minutes to finish off Nishikori, who appeared to be struggling with a left knee injury.
"I'm super happy how I played today, getting better and better each day I feel like," Fritz said in his on-court interview after improving to 36-16 on the season. "A lot of positives I can take into the next match.”
Fritz entered the match with an 0-3 record against Nishikori, but broke serve three times from four opportunities and saved the only break point he faced to reach his seventh semifinal of the season.
Wolf, the No.8 seed, defeated Dominik Koepfer, 6-2, 6-3 to set a first-time meeting with Fritz.
In the night session, hometown favorite Chris Eubanks was knocked off by Aleksandar Vukic, who reached his first career ATP semifinal with a 6-4, 6-4 win over the Atlanta native.
Vukic will face Ugo Humbert, who upset two-time Atlanta champion Alex de Minaur, 7-6(4), 6-3.