Kei Nishikori beats Donald Young to advance at Japan Open

Fourth-seeded Kei Nishikori beat Donald Young of the United States 6-4, 7-6 (4) on Thursday to advance to the quarter-finals of the Japan Open.

Nishikori, ranked seventh in the world, used his solid baseline game to capitalize on several unforced errors by Young.

With Nishikori leading 4-3 in the tiebreaker, Young double-faulted. Nishikori then ended a rally with a crosscourt forehand to set up match point and closed it out when Young hit a return into the net.

Young had a set point in the second set, but Nishikori held to force the tiebreaker.

Nishikori will take on the winner of the second-round match between France's Jeremy Chardy and seventh-seeded Kevin Anderson of South Africa, being played later Thursday.