Kei Nishikori first quarter finalist

Kei Nishikori had not yet won a match before the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament this year. The sympathetic Japanese has completely picked up the taste in Rotterdam Ahoy. After his impressive opening round win against Felix Auger-Aliassime, Nishikori was the first to reach the quarter-finals after beating Australian Alex de Minaur: 6-3, 2-6, 7-5.

Kei Nishikori is active for the second time at the largest ATP tournament in the Netherlands. He lost to Stan Wawrinka in the semifinals in 2019. That was just after his tournament victory in Brisbane. The former number four in the world is craving a title. The chances in Rotterdam for Nishikori have increased significantly after Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev, Roberto Bautista Agut and Auger-Aliassime have been eliminated in the top half of the schedule.

31-year-old Nishikori finished the job against De Minaur in two hours and fourteen minutes. "It was a tough match," said Nishikori, who will face the winner of the match Borna Coric-Dusan Lajovic in the last eight. "Especially in the third set, because De Minaur really hit everything back. I played all or nothing in the last game. I just had nothing to lose and this victory is good for me."