Tokyo, Japan - Heavy Japanese crowd favorite Kei Nishikori posted a first-round victory Wednesday at the $1.2 million Japan Open Tennis Championships.

The fourth-seeded star downed Croat Ivan Dodig 6-3, 6-4 on the hardcourts at a sold-out Ariake Colosseum, where 10,000 fans watched their tennis hero advance.

The world No. 7 Nishikori was the Tokyo titlist in 2012 and is fresh off his title in Kuala Lumpur last week. His second-round opponent on Thursday will be American left-hander Donald Young.

"I felt more pressure in New York, it was my first Grand Slam final," said Nishikori. "Here, I could really feel the support.

"Winning Kuala Lumpur [last week] gave me more confidence. I try not to pay attention to the crowd or what the opponent is doing, but it's always good to play at home. I can feel the support here."

In second-round action on Day 3, American Jack Sock edged out Kazakhstan's Andrey Golubev 6-3, 1-6, 7-5; American Steve Johnson came back to best Spaniard Marcel Granollers 4-6, 6-3, 6-4; German Benjamin Becker topped Japanese wild card Tatsuma Ito 6-3, 6-3; and Frenchman Gilles Simon overcame southpaw Gilles Muller of Luxembourg 4-6, 7-6 (7-1), 6-3. Sock will face Becker, while Johnson will encounter Simon in Friday's quarterfinals.

In addition to Nishikori-Young on Thursday, third-seeded Canadian star Milos Raonic will take on Austrian lefty Jurgen Melzer. The reigning two-time Tokyo runner-up Raonic lost to Argentine Juan Martin del Potro in last year's finale.

This week's winner will collect $296,850.