Tennis 10sBalls • Ricky’s Rotterdam Daily: Nishikori, Wawrinka, Monfils, And Medvedev Reach Semifinals

Swiss Stan Wawrinka in action against Denis Shapovalov of Serbia during their match at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 15 February 2019. EPA-EFE/KOEN VAN WEEL

 

 

By Ricky Dimon

 

Kei Nishikori and Danill Medvedev kept their red-hot starts to the season going when they booked respective spots in the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament on Friday. Nishikori, a quarterfinalist at the Australian Open, cruised past Marton Fucsovics 6-3, 6-2. Medvedev, coming off a title in Sofia, got the best of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-4, 6-2.

 

Next up for Nishikori is Stan Wawrinka, an impressive 6-4, 7-6(4) winner over Denis Shapovalov. Saturday’s other semifinal will pit Medvedev against Gael Monfils, who advanced with a 6-1, 6-2 rout of Damir Dzumhur.

 

In doubles, Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau advanced to the semis. They beat Wesley Koolhof and Jurgen Melzer 6-1, 6-2. Their upcoming opponents are Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury, a relatively new team that held off Robin Haase and Matwe Middlekoop 7-6(4), 6-4.

 

Ricky takes a look at the draw, the seeds, and Day 6:

Draw

(1) Kei Nishikori…..defeated Herbert…..defeated Gulbis…..defeated Fucsovics
(WC) Stan Wawrinka…..defeated Paire…..defeated Raonic…..defeated Shapovalov

Gael Monfils…..defeated Goffin…..defeated Seppi…..defeated Dzumhur

(5) Daniil Medvedev…..defeated Chardy…..defeated Verdasco…..defeated Tsonga

 

Seeds

1) Kei Nishikori: SF vs. Wawrinka

2) Karen Khachanov: lost R1 to Griekspoor

3) Stefanos Tsitsipas: lost R1 to Dzumhur

4) Milos Raonic: lost R2 to Wawrinka

5) Daniil Medvedev: SF vs. Monfils

6) Lucas Pouille: WITHDREW

7) Roberto Bautista Agut: WITHDREW

8) David Goffin: lost R1 to Monfils

9) Nikoloz Basilashvili: lost R2 to Fucsovics

10) Denis Shapovalov: lost QF to Wawrinka

 

Day 6

(1) Kei Nishikori vs. (WC) Stan Wawrinka: Wawrinka leads the head-to-head series 5-4, but Nishikori won their only previous indoor encounter at the 2016 Nitto ATP Finals.

(5) Daniil Medvedev vs. Gael Monfils: Medvedev just won their first-ever meeting 6-2, 6-4 in last week’s Sofia semifinals.

 

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand. You can follow him on twitter at @Dimonator.

Daniil Medvedev of Russia in action against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France during their match at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 15 February 2019. EPA-EFE/KOEN VAN WEEL