Two-time champ Nishikori topples Thompson in Tokyo, faces Rune next

Kei Nishikori’s bid for a hat-trick of titles at the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships is building momentum.

The home favourite on Saturday breezed past Jordan Thompson 6-2, 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals at his home ATP 500 for the sixth time in 11 main-draw appearances. Nishikori broke his opponent’s serve five times in a commanding 83-minute performance inside Ariake Coliseum, where he previously lifted the trophy in 2012 and 2014.

Witnessing a Nishikori masterclass ✨@keinishikori reaches his first ATP 500 quarter-final since 2021!

@japanopentennis | #kinoshitajotennis pic.twitter.com/pP3CvzlqQA

— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 28, 2024

“I think I played a little bit too good,” joked Nishikori after the match. “I surprised myself, maybe my team is also a little bit surprised. I played really well. Very solid, very focused. This is how I wanted to play. Play aggressive with not many mistakes. It was almost perfect today."

Nishikori was razor sharp on return throughout his second-round victory, particularly when facing second serves. The Japanese star won 67 per cent (14/21) of points against Thompson’s second delivery, according to Infosys ATP Stats, en route to reaching his first ATP 500 quarter-final since Washington 2021.

With his seventh tour-level victory of his injury-disrupted 2024, the former No. 4 in the PIF ATP Rankings Nishikori improved to 3-1 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series against the Australian.

“For sure this was the best match so far this year,” said Nishikori. “Jordan is not an easy player to play against. He is very solid and has a good serve. Not easy to play against, but I really handled it well today.”

Awaiting Nishikori in the last eight will be sixth seed Holger Rune, who ended the hopes of another Japanese star, Yoshihito Nishioka. Rune eased to a 6-2, 6-4 triumph in just 67 minutes to reach the quarter-finals on his Tokyo debut.