Nishikori’s bid for a third Japan Open crown in four years came to a shuddering halt as Paire roared back from dropping a whirlwind first set in just 20 minutes.
Advertisement
Paire didn’t waste any time after that; he earned two match points in the next game and sealed his victory on the second by drilling a crosscourt forehand that forced the Nishikori error.
Nishikori stormed out of the blocks in the semi-final clash, breaking twice in a one-sided first set.
Defending champion Kei Nishikori will meet Benoit Paire in the Japan Open Tennis Championships semi-final after coming from behind to beat Marin Cilic on Friday.
Paire started the match looking like he would struggle to contain his opponent, being run off the court in the first set.
Wawrinka improved to 46-13 on the season with a straight-sets win over American Austin Krajicek; Muller stunned third-seeded Gilles Simon in straight sets to end a string of ten consecutive losses against the Top-10. Paire won only one break-point, but it was enough to keep him in the match.
Nishikori will next play either Australian enfant awful Nick Kyrgios or France’s Benoit Paire – who beat Nishikori in the first round of the U.S. Open in August – in Saturday’s semifinal.
When he needed to show his mettle Nishikori folded, losing his final service game and the third set to bow out of the tournament at the semifinal stage. The pair exchanged early breaks before a disastrous double-fault by Muller at 4-4 handed Wawrinka a golden opportunity to serve out the match. Showing great fortitude, Muller again broke back to keep himself in the match, with the set eventually going to a tie-break.
Advertisement
The top-seeded Swiss reached the final following a comfortable 6-4, 7-6 (5) victory over Gilles Muller.
