Nishikori squashes Paire to reach Tokyo quarters

Local hero Kei Nishikori put down a marker in his quest for a third Japan Open title as he outgunned France’s Benoit Paire yesterday to reach the last eight. The third seed, who lifted the trophy in 2012 and 2014, completed a 6-3, 7-5 victory despite late resistance from Paire to avenge a semi-final defeat inflicted by the hulking Frenchman in Tokyo three years ago.

Meanwhile, former champion Nick Kyrgios flickered into life for just long enough to dispatch Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka 7-5, 7-6 (7/3) in the first round. Nishikori tore out of the blocks, winning the first five games before Paire finally got on the scoreboard. Paire tugged at his beard in despair after Nishikori snaffled the opening set but raced to a 3-0 lead in the second set before the Japanese number one rattled off five straight games.

An increasingly prickly Paire pulled off an outrageous between-the-legs volley and subsequently levelled with a backhand rocket, letting out a guttural roar as Nishikori shook his head in disbelief. But the world number 12 almost took Paire’s head off to break again for 6-5, further irritating the Frenchman, who flirted with a penalty point after kicking his racquet into his chair.

Nishikori, who won the last of his 11 career titles in Memphis two years ago, closed out the match with a ferocious cross-court forehand that Paire battered wide. “I had a few dangerous moments but I stuck to my game,” said Nishikori. “It was important to stay with him and dig in. I’m in the quarter-finals now and hopefully I can kick on from here.”