Ferrer thumps local hero Nishikori in Tokyo

Spain's David Ferrer produced a clinical 6-4, 6-3 victory over local hope Kei Nishikori to reach the last 16 of the Japan Open on Tuesday.

Third seed Ferrer had lost his only previous meeting with Nishikori at the 2008 US Open but slammed the door quickly on the Japanese No. 1 under floodlights on a chilly Tokyo evening.

Fierce pressure from 2007 Japan Open champion Ferrer took its toll on Nishikori, who dumped a simple backhand into the net from mid-court to surrender the first set.

Ferrer, who has won in Auckland and Acapulco this year, wrapped up a comfortable win in an hour and 29 minutes with another huge forehand too hot for Nishikori to handle.

Ferrer's Davis Cup team-mate Rafa Nadal, the defending champion in Tokyo, was facing Japan's Go Soeda in Tuesday's evening match.

Argentina's David Nalbandian looked back to his old street-fighting best in a 6-1, 6-1 blowout win over Czech Lukas Rosol.

The former World No.3, fresh from helping his country beat holders Serbia to reach the Davis Cup final against Spain, took just 49 minutes to advance to the second round.

Mercilessly punching winners past a deflated Rosol, Nalbandian could afford to let three match points slip away before a backhand error gave him victory.

"Week after week I'm feeling better and playing better," said Nalbandian, whose ranking has slipped to 64th after groin and leg surgery in March. "I played a great match."

Canada's Milos Raonic, playing his first tournament since hip surgery after Wimbledon, beat Japan's Yuichi Sugita 6-7, 6-3, 7-6 to set up a likely meeting with top seed Nadal.

In other first round matches, Latvia's Ernests Gulbis beat Pole Lukasz Kubot 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 while American Alex Bogomolov got the better of Finland's Jarkko Nieminen 6-4, 6-4.

Bogomolov will play either second seed Andy Murray or Cyprus's Marcos Baghdatis in the last 16.