NEWPORT, R.I. -- Top-seeded Steve Johnson advanced to the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships quarterfinals on Wednesday, beating Japans Yuichi Sugita, 6-1, 6-4.Coming off a career-best finish in a Grand Slam, the 26-year-old Johnson needed just 20 minutes to win the first set and 59 to close the match. It was his first on Newports grass this week after the top four seeds were given byes.Johnson was one of six Americans in action Wednesday on the grounds of the International Tennis Hall of Fame.Defending champion Rajeev Ram, a two-time winner in Newport -- who previously was victorious in 2009, when he claimed his only other career ATP tourney -- lost to seventh-seeded Dudi Sela of Israel, 6-3, 6-4.Second-seeded Ivo Karlovic of Croatia rallied past Canadian qualifier Frank Dancevic, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4.Ranked No. 25 on the tour coming into the week, Johnson served an ace on the first point of the match and lost just one point in the third through fifth games of the opening set.He had it a little tougher in the second, but he continued his solid season on grass, raising his record to 11-3.I just served well in the first, Johnson said. [Sugita] returned well in the second. I just think that makes it tricky when you dont have to play any points in the first.Johnson lost in the fourth round to Roger Federer at Wimbledon. Johnson won his first career singles title, also on grass, at Nottingham last month.Im comfortable, but Im still uncomfortable, he said about the surface. Theres a lot to learn, a lot to improve on. Thats why Im here, to try and keep getting better.He said hes looking forward to heading to the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro next month and -- unlike other athletes -- hasnt considered not attending.I never thought about not going, he said.Ram said he had trouble with the breezy conditions and didnt play well.I felt [Sela] dealt with the conditions really well, had good energy the whole way through and he was just better than me today, he said.John Isner was the last to win consecutive Newport titles, doing it in 2011 and 2012.American Donald Young, the No. 8 seed, joined Johnson in advancing Wednesday by defeating fellow countryman Stefan Kozlov, 6-0, 6-4.Americans Brian Baker and Dennis Novikov also were ousted.Baker lost to No. 4 seed Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus, 6-4, 6-3. Novikov lost to Dominican Victor Estrella Burgos, 7-6 (3), 6-3.In other play, Switzerlands Marco Chiudinelli beat Australian John-Patrick Smith, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3. Cheap Calgary Flames Jerseys China . 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They also moved within 3 1/2 games of San Antonio (22-7) for the lead the Southwest Division.Mumbai Indians completed an IPL double over Kolkata Knight Riders as Rohit Sharma and Kieron Pollard propelled the hosts to a six-wicket win at Wankhede Stadium. Mumbai prevailed at Eden Gardens on April 13 thanks largely to Sharmas 84 and the captain impressed again with an unbeaten 68 from 49 balls as Indians secured a home success over Knight Riders on Thursday evening.Pollard, though, sealed the teams triumph with a dazzling display of hitting late on, the burly West Indian clubbing six sixes in a score of 51 not out from 17 balls as the reigning champions beat the 2014 winners with two overs remaining. Ryan ten Doeschate and Dominic Cork look at the brilliant and the bad in the field from Thursdays match. Sharmas sides successful pursuit of 174-5 earned them a fourth win in eight games and parity with second-placed Kolkata on eight points, although Knight Riders have played two matches fewer.West Indies quick Jerome Taylor, signed as a replacement for the injured Lasith Malinga, was made to wait for his Mumbai debut with countryman Kieron Pollard, Englands Jos Buttler and New Zealands Mitchell McClenaghan and Tim Southee filling the four allotted overseas berths.McClenaghan, however, made a hash of a chance to oust Gautam Gambhir (59 off 45) in the second over, spilling a seemingly routine return catch when the opener, who was on six at the time, skied in his direction. Gautam Gambhirs 59 came in a losing effort Gambhir punished Mumbai by hitting a brace of fours in Southees following over, two of seven boundaries he would drill before skewing McClenaghan to Pollard at mid-off.ddddddddddddRobin Uthappa (36) lashed two sixes as he put on 69 with Gambhir for the first wicket, while Andre Russell (22 off 16) - who biffed three fours in one Jasprit Bumrah over - and Suryakumar Yadav (21 off 17) played cameos, before Southee dropped Yusuf Pathan (19no off 8) twice in two balls. Kolkatas Chris Lynn dismissed Mumbais Jos Buttler with a fantastic juggling catch on the boundary. Mumbais Sharma and Ambati Rayudu (32 from 20) then smoked 59 from 34 deliveries and although Buttler went for a 15-ball 15 - caught excellently on the boundary by a juggling Chris Lynn - Indians were not to be denied.Pollard clumped three maximums in Rajagopla Sathishs 16th over and three more in Jaydev Unadkats 17th, the last of which rubber-stamped Mumbais victory and took his stand with the classy Sharma to 72 from 30 balls.Catch more IPL action on Friday as Rising Pune Supergiants host Gujarat Lions. That clash is live on Sky Sports 2 from 3pm. ' ' '