Former finalist Nishikori reaches US Open quarterfinals
New York, United States: Kei Nishikori, vying to improve on his US Open runner-up finish in 2014, cruised into the quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows on Monday with a 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 victory over German Philipp Kohlschreiber.
Japan's Nishikori could find himself up against Marin Cilic for a place in the semi-finals in a rematch of the 2014 championship match won by the Croatian.
Seventh-seeded Cilic, who survived a five-set marathon against Australian teenager Alex de Minaur that went into the early hours of Sunday morning, faced 10th-seeded Belgian David Goffin later Monday.
Nishikori reached a career-high fourth in the world in 2015, but tumbled down the rankings as he was sidelined for six months by a wrist injury that kept him out of last year's US Open and eventually required surgery.
But he's made brisk progress to the quarter-finals, dropping just one set and benefitting from Gael Monfils's injury retirement in the second round.
After rolling through the first two sets against Kohlschreiber he hit a speed bump as he served for the match at 5-4 in the third.
"That was the toughest moment in the match, serving for the match at 5-4 had a 30-0 lead and he came back really strong," Nishikori said.
"It was a hard situation but I did refocus again after the service break and really played great in the last two games."
Last year's runner-up Madison Keys also returned to the quarter-finals with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova.
American 14th seed Keys, who was defeated by compatriot Sloane Stephens in the 2017 championship match, fired 25 winners to Cibulkova's seven.
The 23-year-old will face either former champion Maria Sharapova or Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro for a place in the semi-finals.
"I am really glad I got the win," said Keys after reaching her third Grand Slam quarter-final of the season.
"Dominika is a good player so even though I was a set and 2-0 ahead, it wasn't surprising that she would come back and win a few games.
"So I just had to focus on getting some first serves in and wait for the right ball."
