World number one Novak Djokovic was forced to retire from his quarter-final with Feliciano Lopez at the Dubai Tennis Championships because of an eye problem.
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The third seed will next face in-form Australian Nick Kyrgios, who closed out a 6-3 6-2 win over Mikhail Kukushkin.
The clash between Wawrinka and Kyrgios on Friday will be the first contest between the pair since their infamous match in Montreal last August.
Stan Wawrinka reached his second final of the season as Nick Kyrgios retired injured from their semi-final at the ATP Dubai Championships on Friday.
He’s having his best years of his life.
“I was really surprised with the performance I gave out there today to come out there and beat a quality player and in tough conditions”, Kyrgios said, reports the ATP’s official website.
He lost just four points on serve in the second set, firing 10 aces in a match that lasted just under 90 minutes.
Meanwhile, Wawrinka admitted he is not friends with Kyrgios, but insisted there was nothing else going on between the two from last year’s controversial incident.
Fourth-seeded Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut also made swift progress, sweeping aside Korean teenager Hyeon Chung 6-0 6-1.
Known to be “notorious” in tennis, Kyrgios stunned fans and experts by showing exemplary sportsmanship, according to the Daily Mail.
Djokovic, who was chasing the fifth Dubai title and earned his 700th career win here on Wednesday, had some problem during the third game and consulted his coach. From that point, Wawrinka won the final five games.
“I’ve got the right people around me, so I’m just working hard and making the most of it when I’m on the court”.
“I came on court without knowing about his illness”.
With a hold of serve in the bag, the Australian then took a medical time out to manipulate his troubling back, and promptly broke Wawrinka again in an eight-minute tussle from, 4-4. “I think he has a better percentage of winning tomorrow, that’s for sure. But there is nothing else”, said Wawrinka. “I love this sport with all of my heart and enjoy every moment of it. I expect a lot from myself, I’m trying to improve and get better in every element of my game, but I know I’m not the only one who wants to be No. 1 and win titles”, he said.
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A red-hot Kyrgios stormed to his eighth successive win with an impressive 6-4 6-4 victory over world No. 7 Tomas Berdych to book his spot in the last-four.
