Kei Nishikori reaches Swiss Indoors final in Basel where he will play Marin Cilic

Kei Nishikori of Japan celebrates his victory at the Swiss Indoors

Kei Nishikori saved two match points to defeat Gilles Muller 4-6 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 on Saturday and earn a place in the Swiss Indoors final against Marin Cilic.

The world No 5 performed his escape act in the second set against Luxembourg's big hitter, who rained down 20 aces in the two-and-a-quarter-hour thriller in Basel.

The Japanese trailblazer will aim for only his second title of the season on Sunday against fourth seed Marin Cilic, who is still in the hunt to qualify for the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals in London.

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Third-seeded Nishikori saved the first match point with a perfectly timed lob.

"I saw that he was almost touching the net, but my arm was shaking as it was match point," he said of the winner that pulled the score level 5-5 in the second set. 

After his heroics in the second set, the 26-year-old was able to steady his game to earn a hard-earned win over the 37th-ranked Muller.

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"I got more comfortable and played a good match. The balls fly a lot here, you really have to hit the ball," said a relieved Nishikori.

"Muller has a great serve. I'm just happy to have won the match."

Nishikori has already qualified for next month's ATP World Tour Finals for a third straight season.

Cilic had to come from a set down to beat Mischa Zverev, earlier conqueror of Stan Wawrinka, 4-6 7-5 6-3 in a gruelling encounter.

Marin Cilic will play Nishikori in a repeat of the 2014 US Open

He played Nishikori in final of the 2014 US Open, when Cilic won the only Grand Slam of his career so far.

"It's tough to think of the past, but when I remember that match it gives me some guidance about how to play this next one," Cilic said.

"It will be another tight match like others we've played I'm looking forward to the final."

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