NISHIKORI TO FACE ANDERSON IN FINAL

Kei Nishikori will try to end his long losing streak in ATP finals and Kevin Anderson will go for his second title of the year at the Erste Bank Open on Sunday. The fifth-seeded Nishikori reached his third final of 2018 after beating Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan 6-4, 6-3 in the semifinals. A winner of 11 ATP events, Nishikori hasn’t triumphed since winning in Memphis in February 2016. He has lost eight straight finals since. The second-seeded Anderson defeated Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 3-6, 6-4. Anderson has a shot at a fifth career title and second of the year after winning in New York in February. Nishikori leads Anderson 4-2 on career matchups, but the South African won their only previous meeting this year. With a victory on Sunday, Anderson will qualify for the ATP Finals.