Top-seeded Kei Nishikori is finding his footing on clay.

After struggling in his first match in the Argentina Open, the Japanese player beat No. 6 Joao Sousa of Portugal 6-1, 6-4 on Friday to reach the semi-finals in the outdoor clay-court event.

Nishikori will face Carlos Berlocq of Argentina, a 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 winner over Thiago Monteiro of Brazil.

Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta will play the Ukraine’s Alexandr Dolgopolov in the other semi-final.

Carreno Busta beat fellow Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, and Dolgopolov topped Austria’s Gerald Melzera 7-5, 6-4.