Kei Nishikori to face Kevin Anderson in Vienna with ATP Finals spots up for grabs

Michael Graham
October 28, 2018

Kei Nisjikori will face Kevin Anderson in the final of the Vienna Open, as he seeks to end his 2018 drought.

The Japanese star has already played two ATP finals this year and lost them both, but he’ll get a chance to claim a crown after beating Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan 6-4 6-3 in the semi-finals.

Nishikori has lost eight straight finals since winning the last of his 11 ATP titles in February 2016.

BIG WIN for Kei who *passes* John Isner in the ATP Race.

8. Dominic Thiem, 3535
9. Kei Nishikori, 3090
10. John Isner, 3065

— José Morgado (@josemorgado) October 26, 2018

Anderson, meanwhile, came through a tough match against Fernando Verdasco, eventually winning 6-3 3-6 6-4.

The final will have extra spice given the ATP Finals connotations.

Anderson will qualify for the showpiece event in London next month with a win, while Nishikori will move to within 125 points of making the cut if he can find a way past the South African.

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