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STOCKHOL : Japanese teenager Kei Nishikori opened another chapter in his fairytale 2008 when he reached the Stockholm Open quarter-finals on Thursday by downing Slovakian veteran Dominik Hrbaty 6-1, 1-6, 7-5.
The 18-year-old, who will tackle Croatian second seed Mario Ancic for a place in the last four, is fast becoming a sporting hero back home which is desperate for a tennis revival a decade and a half after Shuzo Matsuoka reached the Top 50.
Nishikori, ranked 77 in the world, will face Ancic for the first time with the Croatian having beaten the only two Japanese players he has faced on the ATP - Go Soeda last year at the Australian Open and Tasuku Iwamiin Tokyo five years ago.
Nishikori has made a leap up the rankings of 212 places since his surprise title in February when he defeated number 12 James Blake at Delray Beach in Florida.
He is the first Japanese to win an ATP crown since Matsuoka won the 1992 South Korea crown.
In his last two tournaments, Nishikori reached the US Open fourth round and went down in the third round at home last week in Tokyo.
"This is the first time I'm winning so constantly and it surprises me. Of course I haven't faced anyone from the top 10, but it gives me confidence. Now I want to advance to the semis," said Nishikori who was proud of his determined performance on Thursday.
"I just concentrated on holding my serve in the third set," he said.
"I'm glad I did not go down after failing to break his serve in the ninth game."
Ancic reached the quarter-finals for the third time in four Stockholm Open appearances with a 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 defeat of Belgian Steve Darcis.
The 31st-ranked Croatian has only failed once to get to the last eight at the Kungligahallen, when he stalled during his second career appearance in 2005.
His previous quarter-finals in the capital include 2003 and last year after returning from the effects of glandular fever.
The victory was the 31st of the season for Ancic against 14 losses with the one-time world number seven still fighting to recover his ranking momentum after his six-month illness absence in 2007.
Finnish third seed Jarkko Nieminen continued his trophy campaign after falling short in 2001 and 2006 finals, outlasting Frenchman Arnaud Clement 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2 in nearly three hours of action.
He will next play Spaniard Oscar Hernandez for a semi-final spot.
Later Thursday, top seed David Nalbandian was facing Swede Joachim Johansson, who retired a year ago with shoulder trouble but is now making a return while fourth seed Robin Soderling, the only other remaining home player, faced Argentine Juan Monaco.
- AFP /ls
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