TOKYO, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- Defending champion Kei Nishikori advanced to the quarterfinals of the Rakuten Japan Open with a straight-set win Thursday.
Nishikori, the No. 4 seed, defeated Feliciano Lopez 7-6 (7-4), 6-0. After a tight first set in which both players had a pair of breaks, Nishikori won more than three-quarters of the points in the second set, finishing off three of his four break chances. Lopez won just eight points in the set.