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Miami - Italian Fabio Fognini, ranked 40th in the world, upset
second seed Kei Nishikori 6-4, 6-2 in the quarter-finals of the Miami Open on
Wednesday.
The 29-year-old from Sanremo was the only unseeded player in
the last eight but showed no serves as he took the game to his Japanese
opponent.
It was the Italian's first victory in three attempts over
Nishikori and his first Masters series quarter-final win since 2013, when he
reached the last four in Monte-Carlo.
Fognini will play the winner of Wednesday's other
quarter-final between Spain's Rafael Nadal and American Jack Sock.
Nishikori said he had not felt fully in top shape for the
contest.
"I wasn't 100%, physically, I mean, it was tough
conditions for me," he said, referring to the heat on the mid-afternoon
Key Biscayne centre court.
"But it was also same for him, too. He was playing a
lot of the long matches, but I think he still played good enough to beat me
today," he added.
Fognini, who was cheered on by his friend, former Italy
footballer Christian Vieri, said he had come through a real test.
"It wasn't easy and I was just focused on my game. I am
very happy, I'm in the semi-final, I'm playing well and I feel good again on
the court," he said.
"I'm back at a high level again. Even before these results I was telling my friends and those around me that I was feeling in good shape and I was just needing to start getting the wins," he said.
Results from ATP/WTA Miami Open on Wednesday:
Men
Quarter-finals
Rafael Nadal (ESP x5) bt Jack Sock (USA x13) 6-2, 6-3
Fabio Fognini (ITA) bt Kei Nishikori (JPN x2) 6-4, 6-2
Women
Quarter-finals
Venus Williams (USA x11) bt Angelique Kerber (GER x1) 7-5, 6-3
Johanna Konta (GBR x10) bt Simona Halep (ROM x3) 3-6, 7-6 (9/7), 6-2
