Nishikori leads assault on Stockholm quarter-finals (Roundup)

By Bill Scott Oct 9, 2008, 20:12 GMT

Stockholm - Japan's Kei Nishikori reached his first ATP quarter-final since a February title win as he defeated Slovak veteran Dominik Hrbaty 6-1, 1-6, 7-5 on Thursday at the Stockholm Open.

The 18-year-old winner, ranked 77th after rising more than 200 ranking places this season, heads into a Friday clash with Croatian Mario Ancic at the Kungligahallen.

Ancic, seeded second, booked his spot in the last eight 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 over outclassed Belgian Steve Darcis.

Argentine top seed David Nalbandian ended the comeback week of Joachim Johansson 6-3, 6-2 against the Swede who reversed his retirement but will not attempt a full-time ATP schedule until mid- 2009.

It took less than an hour as the big server was held to just three aces while Nalbandian got in more preparation for a November Davis Cup final in Cordoba against Spain.

'The Davis Cup is my focus,' Nalbandian said, a day before the International Tennis Federation was to rule on the hosts nation's choice of indoor venues in the provinces.

Two-time losing finalist Jarkko Nieminen, seeded third, needed nearly three hours to go over Arnaud Clement of France 6-4, 6-7 (5- 7), 6-2.

Nishikori, on track to become Japan's first tennis hero since Shuzo Matsuoka in the early 1990s, was treated like a rockstar last week at his home event in Tokyo.

Despite losing in the third round to Richard Gasquet, he showed why he is on the fast-track in a nation desperate for tennis success.

Nishikori is loaded down with sponsors, including Sony and has also signed a shirt patch deal with a maker of Japan's iconic snack, Ramen - a cup of dehydrated noodles ready to eat by adding boiling water.

'I have loved Ramen (noodles) since I was a little boy,' said Nishikori. 'Instant noodles is a food culture that has spread all over the world. It always reminds me of Japan.'

Nishikori is poised to surpass the deeds of Matsuoka, who reached 46th in 1992 and gained notoriety for an agonizing cramping session during a match that led to a change of the rules to allow medical aid in such emergencies.

Ancic holds a perfect 2-0 record over Japanese players after defeating Go Soeda in the first round of the 2007 Australian Open and beating Tasuku Iwami in Tokyo five years ago.

Nishikori last reached a quarter-final in February on the way to his lone career title, with a defeat of James Blake in the Delray Beach final. That was the first ATP title for a Japanese player since Matsuoka won in Seoul in 1992.

Ancic will be playing his third quarter-final from four Stockholm appearances, failing to get this far only in 2005.

He reached the last eight a year ago after returning from six months out with a severe case of glandular fever and at 31st is still trying to return to the Top 20.