Japanese teenager Kei Nishikori reached his first ATP semi-final with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over American Bobby Reynolds in the Delray Beach International on Friday.

The 18-year-old Nishikori will meet American Sam Querrey in Saturday's semi-finals after he comfortably beat compatriot Vincent Spadea 6-2, 6-4.

The other semi will be between top seed James Blake and fellow American Robby Ginepri.

Nishikori's previous best result was reaching the quarter-finals at last year's tournament in Indianapolis.

"I played well in the first and second rounds and I grew in confidence. I felt relaxed," Nishikori told reporters.

Nishikori, who came into the tournament ranked 244th, moved to Florida [Images] at the age of 14 to train at the Nick Bollettieri Academy which has produced top players such as Russian Maria Sharapova [Images].

Nishikori is the first Japanese player to reach an ATP semi-final since Shuzo Matsuoka in Beijing [Images] in 1995.

Blake, ranked 12th in the world, had little trouble in beating Russian Igor Kunitsyn 6-2, 6-4.

"Each match it gets better and better, it feels good," said Blake.

The favourite next faces Ginepri who beat Mardy Fish [Images] 6-1, 4-6, 6-4.

Ginepri, benefiting from the work of his Spanish coach Jose Higueras, was helped by Fish's limited movement as he struggled with a knee injury.

The 26-year-old Ginepri, who has suffered a slump in form over the past two seasons, believes he may have turned the corner.

"I think when you are losing sometimes you get into the routine of losing. I realised I had forgotten how it feels to win," he said.

"That was a good win but it should be standard issue for me."

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