Marin Cilic into Acapulco semis without lifting racquet

The third-seeded Croatian reached the semi-finals of the ATP Mexico Open by default as American Steve Johnson withdrew.

2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic (File | aP)

ACAPULCO: Third-seeded Croatian Marin Cilic reached the semi-finals of the ATP Mexico Open without hitting a ball Thursday as American Steve Johnson withdrew.

World number eight Cilic next faces either second-seeded Spaniard Rafael Nadal, the world number six, or Japanese qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka, ranked 86th.

Johnson pulled out of his scheduled quarter-final on the hardcourt at Acapulco with a right ankle injury he said he sustained in his victory over Ernesto Escobedo on Wednesday.

In the day's other quarter-finals, top-seeded Serbian Novak Djokovic took on Australian sixth seed Nick Kyrgios while fourth seed and defending champion Dominic Thiem of Austria faced big-serving American Sam Querrey.