Kei Nishikori beat Alexander Zverev, to face Rafael Nadal in Monte Carlo Masters final | Tennis News - Hindustan Times
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Kei Nishikori beat Alexander Zverev, to face Rafael Nadal in Monte Carlo Masters final

Agence France-Presse, Monte Carlo | ByAgence France-Presse
Apr 21, 2018 10:59 PM IST

Kei Nishikori came from a set down to beat Alexander Zverev and reach his first Monte Carlo Masters final where he will face Rafael Nadal

Kei Nishikori fought back from a set down to beat Alexander Zverev 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the Monte Carlo Masters semi-finals on Saturday to set up a showdown with Rafael Nadal.

Japan's Kei Nishikori hits a return to Germany's Alexander Zverev during their Monte Carlo Masters match on Saturday.(AFP)
Japan's Kei Nishikori hits a return to Germany's Alexander Zverev during their Monte Carlo Masters match on Saturday.(AFP)

The Japanese player moved into his first Masters final since Canada in 2016 after struggling with a right wrist injury that forced him to miss the last four months of last season.

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But the former world number four, now ranked 36, did enough to wear down a tired Zverev who came through a late-night thriller with Richard Gasquet on his 21st birthday on Friday.

Nishikori is yet to win a Masters title in three previous final appearances, including one against Nadal in Madrid four years ago when he led by a set and a break before retiring injured.

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He won his last match against Nadal in the 2016 Olympic bronze-medal match, but has never beaten the 10-time Monte Carlo champion on clay.

Nadal reached his 12th final in Monte Carlo earlier Saturday by seeing off Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 6-1.

Third seed Zverev broke through in the seventh game and wrapped up the first set with relative comfort.

Nishikori hit back early in the second to move 2-0 ahead, but Zverev refocused and drew level.

The Japanese reeled off four straight games to force a decider, though, as Zverev failed to secure a first straight-sets win of the week.

READ | Rafael Nadal cruises past Grigor Dimitrov to reach Monte Carlo Masters tennis final

Both players saved two break points in their first service games of the third set, before solidifying their serves as the set became a battle of attrition.

But Nishikori brought up a match point in the 10th game with a body shot at the net, and German Zverev scooped a backhand wide to send the 28-year-old through to Sunday’s final.

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