Kei Nishikori makes quick work of Marin Cilic on Friday in Memphis. Nishikori is joined in the semifinals by Feliciano Lopez, who ousted Jack Sock.
(5) Kei Nishikori d. (1) Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-2
Nishikori thrashed Cilic in just one hour and 12 minutes during quarterfinal action at the U.S. National Indoor Championships on Friday afternoon. Nishikori withstood 12 Cilic aces to break four times and cruise past the No. 1 seed.
Cilic’s lone highlight–aside from a second-set racket smash–was battling back from a break down in the first. However, success was short-lived for the 12th-ranked Croat. Nishikori added one more break then served out the opener at 5-4.
It was all but over when Nishikori won two of his first three return games in the second. A dispirited Cilic managed a meaningless hold for 2-5, but it only delayed the inevitable. Nishikori dug out of a 15-30 hole in the final game and converted his first match point with a crushing forehand winner.
Japan’s top player will go up against Marinko Matosevic for a place in the title match.
Feliciano Lopez d. (WC) Jack Sock 6-4, 6-3
Lopez booked a spot in the Memphis semifinals by defeating Sock in one hour and 21 minutes on Friday evening. Sock, competing in his second career ATP quarterfinal, was not without chances. The 168th-ranked American saved a break point early in the first set then led 0-40 with his opponent serving at 1-2. Lopez battled his way out of the deficit and had the momentum for much of the match’s remainder. One break of his own allowed the Spaniard to serve out the opener at 5-4.
Sock raced ahead 2-0 in the second thanks to his first scalp of the Lopez serve, but he could not consolidate it. In fact, the underdog was little more than hopeless on his own serve throughout the last set. Lopez finished off the proceedings in appropriate fashion, breaking at 5-3 for victory. The world No. 47 awaitsDenis Istomin in what will be a surprising semifinal showdown.
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