BRISBANE, Australia - Kei Nishikori beat Steve Johnson 6-4, 7-5 at the Brisbane International on Wednesday to start a season in which he wants to be in the vanguard aiming to end the dominance of the old guard in mens tennis. Kylian Mbappe Jersey .The Japanese player set Asian benchmarks during a breakout 2014, reaching his first Grand Slam final at the U.S. Open and rising to a year-end No. 5 ranking.After a first-round bye, second-seeded Nishikori needed 80 minutes to advance from the second round in Brisbane, serving out on his fourth match point against Johnson.He said hes feeling his way into the new year, knowing that expectations on him are high. The Australian Open, the first major of the season, starts in 12 days in Melbourne. Just a bit too early, he thinks, for a first Grand Slam title.I might need a couple more years to (become a) really good player, but Im getting really close, he said. So hopefully I can bring more good news to Japan.Three players have ruled the mens game for nine years: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic captured 34 of the 38 major titles leading into the U.S. Open last September. The four exceptions were Juan Martin del Potro at the 2009 U.S. Open, Andy Murrays wins at the 2012 U.S. Open and 2013 Wimbledon, and Stan Wawrinkas victory at the 2014 Australian Open.None of those players reached the final at Flushing Meadows, though, with Marin Cilic beating Nishikori for the title. And that sparked much hype about the future.Nishikori, Cilic, Milos Raonic and Grigor Dimitrov are widely tipped to be among the next generation of champions.We are the ones coming next. We are getting really close from last year, Nishikori said. For sure, its going to happen this year.Fourth-seeded Dimitrov had a more difficult opener in Brisbane, fending off two match points in the tiebreaker before beating regular practice partner Jerome Chardy of France 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (8) in 2 1/2 hours. Dimitrov saved one match point with an ace, and went ahead when Chardy fired consecutive double faults from 6-5.I stayed in there, stayed really positive until the end, Dimitrov said, adding he wasnt expecting such a grueling opener, but was happy to get straight to business.Bernard Tomic advanced to the quarterfinals with a 7-6 (2), 6-1 victory over fellow Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis, while Martin Klizan of Slovakia beat seventh-seeded Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine 1-6, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (7).In womens singles, second-seeded Ana Ivanovic defeated Jarmila Gajdosova 6-4, 6-1 in a night match. Earlier, seventh-seeded Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain had a 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 win over Mirjana Lucic-Baroni of Croatia, and Alla Kudryavtseva of Russia beat Karolina Pliskova of Czech Republic 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.At the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand, top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki beat U.S. teenager Taylor Townsend 6-1, 7-6 (4), and Venus Williams reached the quarterfinals with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Kurumi Nara of Japan.After winning the first set comfortably, Wozniacki had to recover from 5-2 down, saving two set points, and winning the second in a tiebreaker to reach a quarterfinal against Julia Goerges of Germany.Third-seeded Williams will next face Russias Elena Vesnina, who had a 6-3, 6-1 win over Croatias Ana Konjuh.At the Hopman Cup in Perth, Poland remained the only undefeated team in Group B with a 2-1 win over Britain.Agnieskza Radwanska gave Poland the lead when she beat Heather Watson 6-3, 6-1, but Andy Murray levelled with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Jerzy Janowicz.Radwanska and Janowicz won the deciding mixed doubles 6-4, 6-4, and can clinch a place in Saturdays final with a win on Friday over France.In the night session, defending champion France beat Australia 2-1 after a 7-6 (3), 7-5 win in mixed doubles. Alize Cornet beat Casey Dellacqua 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 before Australias Marinko Matosevic, who replaced the injured Matt Ebden, beat Frances Benoit Paire 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 to send it to the mixed doubles decider.____AP Sports Writer Steve McMorran in New Zealand contributed. Paul Pogba Jersey . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins (5) – He had a brilliant game; it was a huge response for his average games before. Samuel Umtiti Jersey . Plata blasted a rising shot to the upper left corner for his team-leading seventh goal of the season. He got the kick after referee Allen Chapman ruled Chris Tierney fouled John Stertzer in the penalty area. http://www.nationalfrancesoccer.com/customized/ . The Argentine midfielder made the announcement himself on Twitter on Tuesday and posted a picture of his swollen left foot. His message said he would be out "at least three weeks.WASHINGTON -- Capitals coach Adam Oates took a different approach after his teams third straight loss. Instead of dwelling on the negative, Oates focused on what was good about the clubs recent play. It worked. One day after Oates positive power talk during practice, the Capitals scored three goals in less than four minutes of the second period en route to a 4-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Monday night. Joel Ward, Alex Ovechkin and Troy Brouwer scored 3:55 apart -- including two power-play goals -- and Washington was on its way to snapping its skid. "We feel confidence here. Of course we were kind of upset about the beginning of the year," Ovechkin said. "We win only one game." Ovechkin scored his sixth goal and added an assist in the outburst. Nicklas Backstrom assisted on all three goals for Washington (2-4). "Finally, we get the lead and we play with the lead like most of the game," Ovechkin said. With the score tied at 1, Ward took advantage of a power play and scored his first goal of the season at 10:06. Ovechkin added his sixth goal 3:12 later, and Brouwer -- during another power play -- netted his first 43 seconds after that. Brooks Laich scored Washingtons first goal of the game. The Capitals scored four times on 20 shots against Edmonton goalie Jason LaBarbera. The Oilers have given up at least four goals in each of their six games. "I thought everything was going fine until we brought a puck back into our zone, and that basically started a few dominos to fall," Edmonton coach Dallas Eakins said. The Oilers (1-4-1) have four games left on their season-high six-game road trip. "It goes back to the adage of every moment in the game is important. For three minutes we went backward, and it cost us the game," Eakins said. Boyd Gordon and Will Acton, with the first of his NHL career, scored for Edmonton. The Oilers took a 1-0 lead 9:48 in on Gordons fourth goal. Justin p;Schultz recovered a loose puck near centre ice, skated down the right wing and sent a pass to Gordon, who flipped a shot past goalie Braden Holtby. Paul Pogba France Jersey. Just 3:53 later, Laich scored his first of the season when he fired a shot past LaBarbera. Ward gave the Capitals a 2-1 lead one second after Brouwer and Edmontons David Perron returned to the ice following roughing penalties. Washington had been working with a 4-on-3 power play, and patiently moved the puck in front of the net until Ward scored. Barely three minutes later, it was Ovechkins turn, and then Brouwers. "We were kind of in a tough spot after last game, 1-4, losing ground a little bit," Brouwer said. "Guys are always a little bit upset when theyre not producing because they feel like theyre not helping their team out as much as they could, especially if youre expected to score." Ovechkin was called for interfering with Mike Brown at 12:19 of the third period. A melee ensued with Ovechkin, Brown, the Oilers Luke Gazdic, and Washingtons Mike Green and Karl Alzner all sent off the ice for various infractions. Acton cut the Oilers deficit to 4-2 with 1:42 left in the game. By then, the Capitals had been playing with a three-goal lead for 24 minutes, and that helped boost their confidence. "Youre not scared to make mistakes. Youre not as tentative," Holtby said. NOTES: Edmonton F Nail Yakupov was a healthy scratch for the second straight game. The No. 1 overall selection in the 2012 draft is pointless in four games. ... Washington D John Erskine missed his second straight game because of an upper body injury. ... In the first period, Green collided with the Oilers LW Jesse Joensuu in front of his own bench and tumbled headfirst over the boards. He didnt miss any ice time. ... Ovechkin has nine points in six games. . It was the 22nd time Backstrom had three assists in a game. ... Edmonton allowed its NHL-worst 10th first-period goal. ' ' '