Kei Nishikori of Japan returns a shot to Leonardo Mayer of Argentina during their men’s singles match at Rock Creek Tennis Center on Thursday in Washington, DC.
AFP/Washington
Reigning US Open champion Marin Cilic and 2014 US Open runner-up Kei Nishikori advanced to the quarter-finals of the ATP and WTA Washington Open with straight-set triumphs Thursday.
Japanese second seed Nishikori, the highest-ranked player in the field after Britain’s Andy Murray crashed out in his opening match, never faced a break point in dispatching Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer 6-4, 6-4, after 92 minutes. “I’m very confident and I’m feeling really good,” Nishikori said.
Croatian third seed Cilic, who faced a possible rematch with Nishikori in the semi-finals, outfought 32nd-ranked American Sam Querrey 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/3) at the US Open hardcourt warm-up event. “I’m pretty confident about my game,” Cilic said. “I’m 30% better at this moment than last year.”
French fourth seed Richard Gasquet, coming off a Wimbledon semi-final run, was upset by 37th-ranked American Jack Sock 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 after two hours and 33 minutes.
“It took me a while to get into a rhythm,” Sock said. “I knew if I stayed close and kept fighting I would have a chance.”
Women’s top seed Ekaterina Makarova of Russia also reached the last eight, defeating Britain’s Naomi Broady 6-4, 7-6 (7/2). She next plays Romanian sixth seed Irina-Camelia Begu.
Nishikori, who seeks his third title of the year after Memphis and Barcelona and the 10th of his career, silenced speculation in Japan he might be becoming a father, saying, “I hope one day, but not yet.”
Cilic to face German teen
Cilic improved to 4-0 all-time against Querrey, their prior matchup a 2012 Wimbledon epic third-rounder Cilic won 17-15 in the fifth set. Cilic rolled to a 6-1 edge in each tie-breaker to win.
Next up for Sock is 55th-ranked countryman Steve Johnson, who dumped Bulgarian sixth seed Grigor Dimitrov 6-3, 1-6, 6-3. It’s Washington’s first all-US quarter-final since 2003.