ATP: Zverev versus Nishikori in Monte Carlo on two good signs

Alexander Zverev will play Kei Nishikori at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Monte Carlo for the second consecutive place in the final of an event of the second highest category.

The fact that Alexander Zverev will meet the world number 36 in the semi-final of Monte Carlo should not tempt anyone to attribute the crystal-clear favourite role to the German number one: After all, Kei Nishikori on the opposite side of the net is expected on Saturday afternoon (not before 3:30 pm, live on SKY and in our live ticker). Thus a man who has only once missed one victory to a Grand Slam triumph.

Marin Cilic gave the spoilsport in New York in 2014, but Nishikori defeated him in three sets at the Monte Carlo Country Club on Friday. After Alexander Zverev also had to go the full distance against Richard Gasquet, there should also be physical equality of arms.

Good: Zverev decided the quarter-final day, was exhausted on his 21st birthday around 9 pm and sunk down to the sandy ground of Court Rainier III, relieved. Gasquet had tormented the Hamburg native with many variations, but in the end he got the short end of the stick.

So far there has been a comparison between Zverev and Nishikori – which should give the German courage in two respects: On the one hand, he won the match in Washington last year with 6:4 and 6:3. Afterwards I won the tournament. And by the way, Richard Gasquet was beaten there too.

However, winning the tournament in Monte Carlo could be a little more difficult: After all, Rafael Nadal, who played mercilessly well against Dominic Thiem in the quarter-finals, is waiting from the top half. Even better than the Davis Cup in Valencia. And there Nadal had surely defeated Zverev in three sets.

Here the single tableau in Monte Carlo