Crowd favourite Nishikori extends Aussie run

MELBOURNE (AFP) –

Kei Nishikori uses an ice pack during his match against Carlos Berlocq at the Australian Open on January 16, 2013

Japan’s Kei Nishikori uses an ice pack during a break in his match against Carlos Berlocq of Argentina at the Australian Open in Melbourne on January 16, 2013. The 16th seed surged home after being taken to a first set tiebreaker to oust the 68th-ranked Berlocq 7-6 (7/4), 6-4, 6-1 in 2hr 18min.

Kei Nishikori thanked his enthusiastic Japanese fans as he powered into the Australian Open third round with a straight-sets win over Argentina’s Carlos Berlocq.

The 16th seed, backed by strong support on Show Court 3, surged home after being taken to a first set tiebreaker to oust the 68th-ranked Berlocq, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4, 6-1 in 2hr 18min.

Nishikori has enjoyed strong form in Australia, reaching the Brisbane semis before retiring hurt and making the Australian Open quarter-finals last year, the best ever Grand Slam performance by a Japanese man.

“I feel so comfortable playing here, you know, playing last year with a lot of support. You know, it’s one of the best Grand Slams for me to play, I think,” he said.

“It’s the Asian Grand Slam, and like you see today, I had a lot of support, and that makes me play better. Yeah, I love it.”

Nishikori dominated with his forehand and court speed as he reeled off 47 winners and six service breaks to take his place in the last 32.

Japan’s Kei Nishikori feels the heat at the Australian Open in a steamy Melbourne on January 16, 2013. Nishikori thanked his enthusiastic Japanese fans as he powered into the third round with a straight-sets win over Argentina’s Carlos Berlocq.

The Japanese star had a battle in a 69-minute opening set but once he got the initial edge he proceeded to take charge, and grabbed three service breaks in the second set and another two in the final set to win easily.

“I’m happy to win the first two matches and I have been playing great, so hopefully I can go as far as last year’s quarter-final,” Nishikori said. “That’s my goal for this year or hopefully I can go further.”

Nishikori showed no problems with the left knee injury that forced him out this month’s Brisbane International and Kooyong Classic tournaments.

“The knee’s getting better and I didn’t feel any pain today, just the hot conditions bothering me a little, but otherwise it was fine,” he said.

Nishikori’s average service speeds were down around 168 km/h (136 mph) and he said he was working hard on trying to serve faster.

“I don’t have a big serve like the other guys, so I need more accuracy. That’s more important I think,” he said.

“Of course, I want more speed, but like you see (fourth seed) David Ferrer, he’s making a lot of first serves with more control. So that’s my goal.”

Nishikori will play either 23rd seed Mikhail Youzhny or another Russian, Evgeny Donskoy, in the next round.

He was one of three Japanese men to reach the second round, along with Go Soeda and Tatsuma Ito, and on Tuesday, 42-year-old Kimiko Date-Krumm became the tournament’s oldest female winner.

“Oh, my God, it was amazing,” Nishikori said of Date-Krumm’s straight-sets win over 12th seed Nadia Petrova.

“You see a score 6-2, 6-0 against almost top 10 player… hopefully she wins today or tomorrow, and she makes more history. It’s good for Japan, for sure.”