Intro:

Kei Nishikori pleases home fans with straight sets victory in his first match at the Japan Open Championships.

Script:

Kei Nishikori sold out the Ariake Colosseum in Tokyo for his first match at the Japan Open Championships.

Ten thousand Japanese spectators watched their hero, as Nishikori began his quest for a second trophy in Tokyo.

When 24-year-old Nishikori reached the US Open final last month, the tickets hotline didn't stop ringing for three days, such was the demand for tickets to the ATP World Tour 500 tournament.

Nishikori, the fourth seed and 2012 champion, did his part by beating Dodig for the third time in four meetings. 6-3, 6-4 in 85 minutes. He faced a single break point in 10 service games and goes on to face Donald Young in the second round.

In other action, Steve Johnson, who has risen 114 places this year , out-fought Marcel Granollers to reach the quarter-finals of the tournament.

Johnson beat David Ferrer's conqueror 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 53 minutes.