Japan Open 2015: Friday Tennis Scores, Results and Updated Draw Schedule
Top seed Stan Wawrinka eased his way into the semi-finals of the 2015 Japan Open on Friday as he saw off the challenge of American qualifier Austin Krajicek in straight sets in the last eight.
Home favourite Kei Nishikori also booked his place in the final four as he produced an impressive comeback against Marin Cilic to win in three sets.
In the other two quarter-finals in Tokyo, third seed Gilles Simon was upset by Luxembourg's Gilles Muller, while Frenchman Benoit Paire toppled Nick Kyrgios.
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Here are the full results from the day's action, the updated draw schedule and a review of how things panned out:
| Result | Score |
| (1) Stan Wawrinka bt. Austin Krajicek | 6-3, 6-4 |
| Gilles Muller bt. (3) Gilles Simon | 6-3, 6-4 |
| (2) Kei Nishikori bt. (6) Marin Cilic | 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 |
| Benoit Paire bt. Nick Kyrgios | 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 |
| Date | Round | Match |
| Saturday, Oct. 10 | Semi-final | (1) Stan Wawrinka vs. Gilles Muller |
| Saturday, Oct. 10 | Semi-final | (2) Kei Nishikori vs. Benoit Paire |
Nishikori Comeback Delights Tokyo Crowd
Nishikori had the support of a partisan Tokyo crowd against Cilic, but he did not get off to the best of starts as he lost the opening set 6-3.
Cilic and Nishikori have history together, the Croatian having eased to victory against the Japanese in the 2014 U.S. Open final.
However, Cilic was not to have it all his own way this time, and a crucial late break at 6-5 in the second set allowed Nishikori to force a decider.
In a tense final set the world No. 6 received treatment to his right shoulder after the third game only to then immediately claim the crucial break.
Nishikori saw out the final set 6-3 and claimed the victory in over two hours, keeping his hopes alive of triumphing in a third Japan Open.
Wawrinka took less than an hour to confirm his semi-final spot as he efficiently swept past Krajicek with the minimum of fuss.
A single break in each set was all that was needed for the world No. 4. While he was not at his absolute best—his first-serve percentage was only a touch over 50 per cent—he displayed moments of magic and is still the man to beat in Tokyo, per TennisTV:
Unseeded Muller pulled off something of a shock on Friday is he downed the well-fancied Simon in straight sets.
The Frenchman missed a number of opportunities to change the outcome of the match as he could take only one of eight break-point opportunities on the Muller serve.
Conversely, Muller claimed three of the four break points he was offered and ran out a winner in just over 90 minutes, his first-ever victory over Simon, per tennis writer Chris Goldsmith:
He will be a significant underdog in his semi-final against Wawrinka, but he proved impressively on Friday that he is no pushover.
In the day's final clash, Kyrgios rushed into a 5-1 lead against Paire in the first set thanks to a double break.
The Frenchman was able to claw his way back to 5-3 but he eventually succumbed and lost the opener 6-3.
Kyrgios saved five break points early in the second set to hold onto the momentum, but Paire eventually sealed the set 6-4 after a sloppy double fault from the Australian.
Paire then went 2-0 up in the deciding set and claimed another break late on to take his spot in the semi-finals, where he will face Nishikori.
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