NEW YORK - Defending champion Kei Nishikori rallied to defeat Russian Alex Bogomolov 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 to reach the semifinals at the ATP US Indoor Championships on Friday.

Australian third seed Lleyton Hewitt was eliminated by American Michael Russell in 6-3, 7-6 (6).

Nishikori, an ATP top seed for the first time, saved all four of the break points he faced in the final set to win after two hours and 18 minutes.

Nishikori, ranked 16th, will next play Russell, who is ranked 98th and has never won an ATP title.

Chinese Taipei's fourth seed Lu Yen-Hsun and American Alex Kuznetsov were to meet in a later quarterfinal with the winner to face either American Jack Sock or Croatia's Ivo Karlovic in the last four.

Nishikori, who won two singles matches and shared a doubles triumph to spark Japan over Canada in Davis Cup play earlier this month, seeks his fourth career ATP crown.

His titles have come as a teen at Delray Beach in 2008, at Tokyo in 2012 and last year at Memphis when he dispatched Spain's Feliciano Lopez in the final.