Nishikori to face Raonic in Japan Open final

TOKYO (AP) Fourth-seeded Kei Nishikori advanced to the final of the Japan Open with a 4-6, 6-0, 7-6 (7-2) victory over unseeded Benjamin Becker of Germany on

TOKYO (AP) Fourth-seeded Kei Nishikori advanced to the final of the Japan Open with a 4-6, 6-0, 7-6 (7-2) victory over unseeded Benjamin Becker of Germany on Saturday.

Nishikori will play third-seeded Milos Raonic of Canada in Sunday's final. Raonic downed unseeded Gilles Simon of France 6-1, 6-4 in the first semifinal in 1 hour and 11 minutes.

Nishikori has been dealing with a lower-back injury the past few days. He started slowly against Becker and appeared to have trouble with his mobility, before turning it on in the second set.

Nishikori has a 3-1 record against Raonic, including a victory in the final here in 2012. Nishikori also beat Raonic in five sets in the fourth round at this year's U.S. Open en route to the final.