Intro:

Roger Federer squandered a big lead and lost to No. 20-seeded Kei Nishikori 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 Wednesday night in the quarterfinals of the Sony Open.

Script:

Roger Federer started his quarter-final with Kei Nishikori by continuing the good form he'd already shown in Miami.

The 32-year-old dominated the early proceedings, controlling the court as he dispatched Nishikori with ease.

Even the Swiss's serve was too good as he took the first set 6-3.

Nishikori looked set to be on his way to a straight-sets defeat against the 2005 and 2006 champion as Federer was up a set and service break twice in the second, but he couldn't close out the victory.

He lost serve five times and committed 39 unforced errors.

In the third set it was the 24-year-old who looked like the maestro including an impressive drop shot winner on the way to a 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 win.

Nishikori's opponent in Friday's semi-final will be three-time champion Novak Djokovic, who beat Andy Murray 7-5, 6-3.

The semi-final berth is Nishikori's second in an ATP Masters 1000 tournament, and his first in 2 and a half years.