Kei Nishikori off to strong start at Mexican Open

Ray Slover

Kei Nishikori off to strong start at Mexican Open image

Japan's Kei Nishikori had no trouble reaching the second round of the Mexican Open. Grigor Dimitrov didn't have it as easy.

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

Ray Slover