Fabulous Fognini sends Nishikori packing in Miami
The seeds continue to fall at the Miami Open as Fabio Fognini dumped Kei Nishikori out with a 6-4 6-2 victory in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.
A day after top seed Stan Wawrinka was beaten by Alexander Zverev, second seed Nishikori also slipped to defeat.
Nishikori's plight was not helped by a right wrist problem throughout the match, leaving his trademark forehand without its usual ferocity.
That should take nothing away from Fognini, though, as he produced an accomplished display across both sets with some scintillating backhand cross-court passing shots that would have beaten Nishikori on any day.
For only the second time in his career the Italian moved into the semi-finals of an ATP 1000 event after breaking his opponent's serve for a fifth time in the match, a crisp backhand sealing the straight-sets triumph.
First semifinal feels! pic.twitter.com/w2iWZkLTdP
— Miami Open (@MiamiOpen) March 29, 2017
Unforced errors dogged Nishikori's game, the Japanese making 21 in the match while he could only find 10 winners to Fognini's 18.
The second seed was put out of his misery after 67 minutes on court as Fognini converted his second match point, much to the delight of former Italy international Christian Vieri in his box.
Next up for the world number 40 - who had not beaten Nishikori in two previous meetings - is the winner of the second quarter-final between Rafael Nadal and Jack Sock.