Nishikori, top seed at Acapulco, needed 91 minutes to beat Alejandro Gonzalez of Colombia 6-3, 7-5 at the ATP 500 event. It was Nishikori’s 200th ATP win. Next up: Taiwan’s Lu Yen-Hsun.
Bulgaria’s Dimitrov opened his title defense with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-0 victory over Filip Krajinovic. He was forced to play a deciding set but then dismantled his Serbian opponent. American qualifier Ryan Harrison is Dimitrov’s next opponent after countryman Donald Young retired trailing 4-6, 6-2, 4-2.
“It was a bit of a weird match today. The conditions weren’t easy, and we also know each other pretty good,” Dimitrov said afterwards.
“As soon as the third set started, it was a fresh start for me. I had a three-sets win, but I’m really happy I finished on that note.”
Australia’s Bernard Tomic defeated Adrian Mannarino 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in a repeat of the Delray Beach Open semifinaland now will play Germany’s Benjamin Becker. Steve Johnson of the United States sent Ivan Dodig packing 6-4, 6-4 to earn a meeting with fourth seed Kevin Anderson.
Other winners Tuesday included three-time champion David Ferrer of Spain, sixth-seeded Ivo Karlovic of Croatia, Andreas Haider-Maurer and Serbia’s Viktor Troicki.
Contributing: Sportal.com.au
