Kei Nishikori Upsets Novak Djokovic In Swiss Indoors Semifinal, Will Face Roger Federer

“I don’t feel unbeatable,” Novak Djokovic admitted last week. He was right.

Djokovic, the world’s No. 1 ranked player, fell 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-0 to No. 32 Kei Nishikori of Japan in the Swiss Indoors semifinals on Saturday. The Serbian started strong by winning the first set before faltering, perhaps in part due to a right shoulder injury that required attention from a trainer multiple times.

“He was getting impossible balls back and really making me play every shot,” said Djokovic, according to the Associated Press. “He was better and I didn’t use the opportunities I had. I don’t think I should speak about that third set.”

The Swiss Indoors, held in Basel, Switzerland, was Djokovic’s first tournament after a six-week layoff due to a back injury suffered in September during a Davis Cup match with Juan Del Potro. It’s not immediately clear if his ailing shoulder is related to his previous injury, but he said it will keep him from preparing for the Paris Masters, which begins Monday.

“With this condition of the shoulder, I don’t think I will be able to practice in the next couple of days. It’s pretty bad,” he said.

Nishikori will face Roger Federer, who topped Stanislas Wawrinka in his semifinal match, in the Swiss Indoors final on Sunday. No matter what happens in the next round, though, toppling the No. 1 ranked player to make the final may be the high point of the 21-year-old’s young career to date. He’s made just one other final this year, and has just one ATP tournament title under his belt, winning at Delray Beach (Fla.) in 2008.