Kei Nishikori has moved swiftly into the Australian Open fourth round for a seventh straight time with a comfortable win over Portugal's Joao Sousa.
The eighth-seeded Nishikori's 7-6 (8-6) 6-1 6-2 victory in a tick over two hours on Saturday came as welcome relief for the Japanese ace after he'd survived two sapping five-set encounters to stay alive at Melbourne Park.
"The second and third sets I was playing very aggressively and everything was working well," Nishikori said.
"I finished a good three sets today, playing good tennis and (I'm) very looking forward to playing next week. We are having a great start of the year."
A three-time Open quarter-finalist, Nishikori will next play Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta for another spot in the last eight after the Spaniard eliminated Italian 12th seed Fabio Fognini 6-2 6-4 2-6 6-4.
Russian 15th seed Daniil Medvedev is also through to the fourth round following a 6-2 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 win over Belgian David Goffin.
Runner-up to Nishikori at the season-opening Brisbane International, Medvedev's reward for continuing his excellent summer is a showdown with world No.1 Novak Djokovic.
Djokovic dropped his first set of the tournament, but steadied to deny Canadian prodigy Denis Shapovalov 6-3 6-4 4-6 6-0.
Former Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic, the 16th seed this year, beat Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-4 6-4 7-6 (8-6) and awaits the winner of Saturday night's match between Australian wildcard Alex Bolt and German fourth seed Alexander Zverev.
Australian Associated Press
