Top-seeded Kei Nishikori has secured a place in the quarter-finals of the Memphis Open tennis defeating American Ryan Harrison 6-2, 7-5.
Nishikori, who won the tournament in the last three editions, will next face Kazakhstan's Mikhail Kukushkin, who defeated American Denis Kudla 6-1, 7-5, also on Wednesday, reports Efe.
"Yeah, a little bit. He started playing a little better that game," Nishikori said after the match.
"I had easy mistakes and should have closed it out but happy to finish the last two games.
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"I actually playing very good, very solid today. The last two games were a bit of a struggle Usually I struggle the first couple of rounds here so this is the best start so far."
The Japanese said Kukushkin pose a tough challenge for him.
"We just played in Brisbane and it was two sets but they were tough ones," Nishikori said.
"He's always a tough player. In these slower conditions there's going to be many long rallies."
