WATCH: Medvedev downs salt on way to Barcelona final

Daniil Medvedev needed a salty boost to take out world No. 7  Kei Nishikori on Saturday, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5. It's common knowledge that salt can prevent cramps, but taking a loaded salt shaker on court is definitely unorthodox, especially with the Barcelona temperatures sitting in the comfortable 60s.

The salty inhalation worked, so who's going to question it?

Nishikori led 2-1 in their career head-to-head meetings before their showdown in the semifinals, having beaten the Russian in the Brisbane final this year. But the world No. 14-ranked Russian has been surging in 2019. In Monte Carlo, he upset Stefanos Tsitsipas and scalped world No. 1 Novak Djokovic for the biggest win of his career.

The 23-year-old is seeking his fourth career title on Sunday against the winner of Dominic Thiem and Rafael Nadal. He has never faced Nadal, and has played Thiem just once, losing in a third-set tiebreaker in St. Petersburg last year.

Follow Nina on Twitter @ninapantic1.