Japanese tennis player Kei Nishikori advanced to the last 16 of the Madrid Open on Wednesday after defeating Argentine Diego Schwartzman.
As he debuted in his first tournament since the quarterfinals in Miami and after missing the Barcelona Open, the Japanese player needed two hours to defeat Schwartzman 1-6, 6-0, 6-4.
Despite forfeiting the first set with signs of wrist pain, Nishikori made a good comeback and eventually won the match after dominating the second and the third set, and even had three chances to end the match in the eighth game of the third set.
The Japanese will now take on world no. 40 David Ferrer on Thursday, after the Spaniard booked a free ticket to the last 16 earlier in the day following the withdrawal of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
--IANS
gau/vm