YOKOHAMA, March 1, 2018

The ATP Challenger Tour is back in Japan this week with the Keio Challenger International Tennis Tournament 2018 held on hard courts at the Keio University. Four seeded players will headline the quarterfinals of the $75,000 event.

Top favourite Jordan Thompson defeated Hiroyasu Ehara of Japan 6-4, 6-2 on Thursday. The World No. 92 from Australia won 58 per cent of the total points played to secure victory in one hour and 16 minutes.

Next up for Thompson will be No. 5 seed Stephane Robert. The French veteran edged past US-American lucky loser Daniel Nguyen 7-5, 6-0. Robert broke serve two times to advance in one hour and 19 minutes.

Local favourites Go Soeda and Tatsuma Ito are also booked their spot in the stage of the final eight. No. 4 seed Soeda beat Di Wu of China to meet fellow Japanese Yusataka Uchiyama.

Ito, who is seeded seventh, will face qualifier Hiroki Moriya in the semi-finals. Cem Ilkel of Turkey and Germany’s Tobias Kamke will square off for the final spot.