No. 1 seed Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina strolled past countryman Carlos Berlocq in straight sets to reach the Japan Open quarterfinals Wednesday.
In their first career meeting, seventh-ranked del Potro made efficient work of Berlocq in slightly over an hour, going through 6-2, 6-2 to become the first to qualify for the last eight at Ariake Tennis Forest Park.
In the day's first match, last year's finalist and newly crowned Thailand Open champion Milos Raonic blasted Go Soeda out of the tournament with 24 aces in a two-set, first-round victory.