The top three seeds - Ivan Lendl, Stefan Edberg and John McEnroe - advanced to the semifinals Friday in the $752,500 Japan Open Championships.
Lendl next faces unseeded American Richard Matuszewski in the semifinals Saturday. Matuszewski beat Australian Jason Stoltenberg 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5).Lendl, the world's top-ranked player, overwhelmed 18-year-old Nicolas Pereira of Venezuela 6-2, 6-2 on the hard court at Ariake Colosseum.
Lendl dominated the tournament's youngest player, winning four games in the second set without losing a point. In the fourth game, he fired three straight service aces.
"Pereira still lacks experience," Lendl said. "I put him under pressure after the fourth game. The placement of serves were good."
Second-seeded Edberg, ranked fifth in the world, beat American Scott Davis 6-4, 6-2.