Kevin Anderson recorded his first-ever victory over Kei Nishikori in the third round of the Shanghai Masters this afternoon.
Anderson, who was beaten both times when the two first played earlier this year, edged a pair of tie-break sets to claim victory over the Japanese in two hours and 10 minutes.
Both men are in the world's top 10 and there was little to separate them throughout, with the first set going to a breaker after both men held serve six times without offering out any break points.
Nishikori was on top for most of it, but failed to convert on four set points before Anderson snatched it on his second set point.
The first break of the match arrived in the ninth game of the second set as Anderson moved 5-4 in front, but the South African could not serve the match out as Nishikori hit straight back.
Soon the match was into a second tie-break and this time Anderson came through convincingly, racing 5-0 in front before claiming it 7-3 to continue his best-ever run at the tournament.
He will face Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarter-finals after the Frenchman's win over Albert Ramos-Vinolas earlier today.
Pascal Lemesre
