Miami, FL (SportsNetwork.com) – American favorite John Isner ousted Japanese
star Kei Nishikori on Thursday to secure a berth in the semifinals at the $5.3
million Miami Open, an ATP Masters 1000 event.
The 22nd-seeded 6-foot-10 Isner vanquished the fourth-seeded U.S. Open runner-
up Nishikori in 6-4, 6-3 fashion in 70 minutes at Crandon Park.
Isner won the final eight points of the first set, breaking Nishikori at love
to close it out. He then ran out to a 3-0 lead in the second and was never
threatened.
The 29-year-old Isner is now a perfect 6-0 in his career Masters quarterfinals
after smacking 13 aces past Nishikori. The towering North Carolina native
broke his Japanese counterpart two times, while Nishikori failed to enjoy even
one break-point chance on Day 9 of the 12-day tournament.
Up next for Isner will be world No. 1 superstar Novak Djokovic or sixth-seeded
David Ferrer, who will battle here Thursday evening.
Djokovic beat Rafael Nadal in last year’s final to win his fourth Miami title.
Ferrer was a runner-up in South Florida two years ago.
The other semifinal was set on Wednesday, when third-seeded two-time Miami
champ Andy Murray topped Austrian Dominic Thiem in three sets and eighth-
seeded 2010 finalist Tomas Berdych blitzed Argentine Juan Monaco in straights.
The 2015 Australian Open runner-up Murray captured this event in 2009 and 2013
and was the Miami runner-up in 2012.
This week’s champ will earn $900,400.
