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Federer loses to Nishikori in Sony Open quarters

STEVEN WINE
  • Roger Federer of Switzerland, returns a shot from Kei Nishikori of Japan, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament, Wednesday, March 26, 2014 in Key Biscayne, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
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    Roger Federer of Switzerland, returns a shot from Kei Nishikori of Japan, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament, Wednesday, March 26, 2014 in Key Biscayne, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
  • Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, returns to Andy Murray, of Great Britain, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Wednesday, March 26, 2014. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)
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    Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, returns to Andy Murray, of Great Britain, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Wednesday, March 26, 2014. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)
  • Andy Murray, right, of Britain, and Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, discuss a disputed call at the Sony Open Tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Wednesday, March 26, 2014. Djokovic defeated Murray 7-5, 6-3. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)
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    Andy Murray, right, of Britain, and Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, discuss a disputed call at the Sony Open Tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Wednesday, March 26, 2014. Djokovic defeated Murray 7-5, 6-3. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)
  • Andy Murray, of Britain, returns the ball to Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Wednesday, March 26, 2014. Djokovic defeated Murray 7-5, 6-3. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)
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    Andy Murray, of Britain, returns the ball to Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Wednesday, March 26, 2014. Djokovic defeated Murray 7-5, 6-3. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)
  • Kei Nishikori of Japan, serves to Roger Federer of Switzerland, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament, Wednesday, March 26, 2014 in Key Biscayne, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
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    Kei Nishikori of Japan, serves to Roger Federer of Switzerland, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament, Wednesday, March 26, 2014 in Key Biscayne, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
  • Li Na of China, serves to Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament, Wednesday, March 26, 2014 in Key Biscayne, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
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    Li Na of China, serves to Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament, Wednesday, March 26, 2014 in Key Biscayne, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
  • Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, returns the ball to Andy Murray, of Britain, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Wednesday, March 26, 2014. Djokovic defeatedMurray 7-5, 6-3. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)
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    Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, returns the ball to Andy Murray, of Britain, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Wednesday, March 26, 2014. Djokovic defeatedMurray 7-5, 6-3. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)
  • Britain's Andy Murray returns to Serbia's Novak Djokovic at the Sony Open Tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Wednesday, March 26, 2014. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)
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    Britain's Andy Murray returns to Serbia's Novak Djokovic at the Sony Open Tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Wednesday, March 26, 2014. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)
  • Dominika Cibulkova, of Slovakia, returns to Agnieszka Radwanska, of Poland, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Wednesday, March 26, 2014. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)
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    Dominika Cibulkova, of Slovakia, returns to Agnieszka Radwanska, of Poland, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Wednesday, March 26, 2014. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)
  • Agnieszka Radwanska, of Poland, returns to Dominika Cibulkova, of Slovakia, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Wednesday, March 26, 2014. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)
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    Agnieszka Radwanska, of Poland, returns to Dominika Cibulkova, of Slovakia, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Wednesday, March 26, 2014. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)
  • Agnieszka Radwanska, of Poland, returns to Dominika Cibulkova, of Slovakia, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Wednesday, March 26, 2014. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)
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    Agnieszka Radwanska, of Poland, returns to Dominika Cibulkova, of Slovakia, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Wednesday, March 26, 2014. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)
  • Dominika Cibulkova, of Slovakia, returns the ball to Agnieszka Radwanska, of Poland, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Wednesday, March 26, 2014. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)
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    Dominika Cibulkova, of Slovakia, returns the ball to Agnieszka Radwanska, of Poland, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Wednesday, March 26, 2014. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)
Roger Federer of Switzerland, returns a shot from Kei Nishikori of Japan, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament, Wednesday, March 26, 2014 in Key Biscayne, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, returns to Andy Murray, of Great Britain, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Wednesday, March 26, 2014. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)
Andy Murray, right, of Britain, and Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, discuss a disputed call at the Sony Open Tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Wednesday, March 26, 2014. Djokovic defeated Murray 7-5, 6-3. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)
Andy Murray, of Britain, returns the ball to Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Wednesday, March 26, 2014. Djokovic defeated Murray 7-5, 6-3. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)
Kei Nishikori of Japan, serves to Roger Federer of Switzerland, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament, Wednesday, March 26, 2014 in Key Biscayne, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Li Na of China, serves to Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament, Wednesday, March 26, 2014 in Key Biscayne, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, returns the ball to Andy Murray, of Britain, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Wednesday, March 26, 2014. Djokovic defeatedMurray 7-5, 6-3. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)
Britain's Andy Murray returns to Serbia's Novak Djokovic at the Sony Open Tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Wednesday, March 26, 2014. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)
Dominika Cibulkova, of Slovakia, returns to Agnieszka Radwanska, of Poland, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Wednesday, March 26, 2014. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)
Agnieszka Radwanska, of Poland, returns to Dominika Cibulkova, of Slovakia, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Wednesday, March 26, 2014. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)
Agnieszka Radwanska, of Poland, returns to Dominika Cibulkova, of Slovakia, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Wednesday, March 26, 2014. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)
Dominika Cibulkova, of Slovakia, returns the ball to Agnieszka Radwanska, of Poland, at the Sony Open Tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Wednesday, March 26, 2014. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. (AP) — 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.

Federer was up a service break twice in the second set but couldn't close out the victory. He lost serve five times and committed 39 unforced errors.

Nishikori's opponent Friday will be three-time champion Novak Djokovic, who benefited from an erroneous call in the pivotal game to beat Andy Murray 7-5, 6-3. The semifinal berth is Nishikori's second in an ATP Masters 1000 tournament, and his first in 2½ years.