Kei Nishikori through at Barcelona Open

Defending champion Kei Nishikori has eased into the Barcelona Open third round with a straight-sets victory over Teymuraz Gabashvili.

The top seed opened up a 3-0 lead early in the opening set and he was able to keep steady after that to take it 6-3.

Russian top seed Gabashvili put up more resistance in the second, but Nishikori found a decisive break to go 3-2 up before closing out the contest 6-3 6-4.

The Japanese defeated Colombia's Santiago Giraldo in last year's final to clinch what was his seventh ATP title.