Kei Nishikori wins in straight sets over Joao Sousa, makes 4th round
MELBOURNE, Australia -- Kei Nishikori got through the third round of the Australian Open in straight sets against Joao Sousa on Saturday, getting a bit of relief after his first two matches in the tournament went to five sets.
Nishikori, the No. 8 seed, had a 7-6 (6), 6-1, 6-2 win at Margaret Court Arena. He fended off 59 aces from 39-year-old Ivo Karlovic in the second round before winning the fifth-set tiebreaker 10-7.
Sousa had also advanced through two five-setters and needed a medical timeout in the third set.
The last time Nishikori won consecutive matches in five sets at a major was at the US Open in 2014, when he beat Milos Raonic and Stan Wawrinka in five on the way to his semifinal win over Novak Djokovic.
It was Nishikori's third straight game at Margaret Court Arena, and he said he enjoyed the vibe.
"Forehand has been working very well," Nishikori said. "Second and third sets I was playing really aggressive, and everything was working well."
Nishikori, the 2014 US Open finalist, has reached the fourth round in Australia for the seventh time and is on a roll after winning the season-opening tournament in Brisbane.
Nishikori moves on to face No. 23 Pablo Carreno Busta, who upset No. 12 Fabio Fognini 6-2, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 later in the day.
In other men's third-round matches Saturday, Milos Raonic, the No. 16 seed, eased to a 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (6) win over Pierre-Hugues Herbert to move into the fourth round of the Australian Open for the sixth time. Raonic swept to 3-0 and 5-1 leads in the tiebreaker, but Herbert rallied to level at 5-5. Herbert saved one match point before Raonic clinched the 2-hour, 1-minute match with an ace.
Raonic will play the winner of the later match between No. 4 Alexander Zverev and Alex Bolt.
No. 15 Daniil Medvedev defeated No. 21 David Goffin 6-2, 7-6 (3), 6-3. Medvedev will face Djokovic, who defeated rising Canadian Denis Shapovalov 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 6-0 later Saturday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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