Kei Nishikori within reach of final as he strives to return to top five

Japan’s Kei Nishikori hopes another strong showing at the Brisbane International will help his quest to return to the world’s top five.

Kei Nishikori. Picture: Getty Images

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JAPAN’S Kei Nishikori played the first Brisbane International 10 years ago and he has done everything at it except win the title and clean up after the 2011 flood.

World No.9 Nishikori reached a Pat Rafter Arena semi-final for a fifth time with his slick 7-5, 7-5 win over 2017 Brisbane champion Grigor Dimitrov.

Nishikori, runner-up in that final two years ago, was a familiar picture of sharp movement and clinical hitting as he booked a semi-final on Saturday against France’s unseeded Jeremy Chardy at Pat Rafter Arena.

Kei Nishikori surged into the semi-finals with a straight-sets win over Grigor Dimitrov. Picture: AP

Nishikori and compatriot Naomi Osaka, the US Open champion are the two highest remaining seeds in action on semi-final day and the Brisbane International could be big in Japan on Sunday’s finals night.

The 29-year-old missed last summer’s Australian summer due to a wrist injury which sent him tumbling from the top 20, but he professes an ambition to return to the top five this year.

Nishikori is making his eighth Brisbane campaign, making made the quarter-finals or better on six previous occasions, including a last-eight finish in 2009 when he played the inaugural event.

Kei Nishikori is keen to return to the top five this year. Picture: Getty Images

The Japanese right-hander was ousted in the semi-finals on three occasions and checked out after the quarter-final twice.

Nishikori, who takes his win-loss record against Dimitrov to 5-1, overcame a break of serve in the second set and then broke Bulgaria’s world No.19 in a game with two double-faults.

“I was expecting to go to a third set at 1-4 in the second set but I played very solid the last couple of games,’’ Nishikori said.

“My next goal is to go top five. I was playing great tennis the last couple of months of last year and I’m very happy to start the season again at this tournament after missing last year.’’

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