2016 Rakuten Japan Open - ATP 500

[nowhereman]

Defending champ Stanimal Wawrinka has withdrawn. Hometown hero and two time Japan Open champion Nishikori supplants him as the top seed. Gurufils, Berdych, Cilic, Goffin, Kyrgios, Karlovic and Lopez are the remaining seeds.

Date 3–9 October
Edition 43rd
Category ATP World Tour 500
Draw 32S/16D
Surface Hard / Outdoor
Location Tokyo, Japan

Who is the champion this year?

 

[Meles]

Went Kyrgios because he's just got to beat Berdy and for that I'd vote him the title.

Decent draw even without Wawa, but the up and coming players seem to be all over at China Open.

 

[Pagoo]

Going with Nishikori.

 

[I Am Finnish]

Del potro is not playing?

Nishikori or kyrgios will take the title?

 

[Fedole]

NK needs a run here with that draw. Lot of solid players there, if unspectacular. .

 

[H_Richardson]

Del potro is not playing?

Nishikori or kyrgios will take the title?

He withdrew due to injury or fatigue I think.

 

[Meles]

Del potro is not playing?

Nishikori or kyrgios will take the title?

Guess the Davis Cup win over Murray took its toll.

 

[Meles]

Despite the draw/field. (No Wawa or Delpo.) The seeded QFs aren't bad. SFs with Kyrgios vs Monfils and Nishikori vs Cilic (US Open rematch) please.

 

[Fedeonic]

Guess the Davis Cup win over Murray took its toll.

He's due to reappear at Shanghai, Stockholm and Basel.

 

[Gytha]

Guess the Davis Cup win over Murray took its toll.

http://m.sport24.co.za/sport24/Tennis/ATPTour/del-potro-pulls-out-of-tokyo-event-20160926

He said the reason why he decided not to play in Tokyo was that he needed rest to prepare for the last part of the tennis season.

"I don't have Murray's physique," Del Potro admitted after defeating Great Britain in the Davis Cup semi-finals.

"I can't recover like a top-10. After my longest match ever, recovery wasn't easy."

Del Potro will in all likelihood make a return to the Masters 1000 of Shanghai on October 10, then Stockholm, Paris Masters and the Davis Cup final against Croatia.

Bet he's exhausted after the efforts over Olympics/USO/DC period. Hope he can rest up and then pick up some more points at the Masters (as well as helping Argentina win DC!)

 

[nowhereman]

The draw: http://www.protennislive.com/posting/2016/329/mds.pdf

 

[gn]

Murray/Rafa not only destroy themselves. They also finnish their opponents.

 

[I Am Finnish]

This is a 500 event and klizan is playing

You know what this means

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Wow I didn't realize Paire got his ranking so low! He's down to 37th in the world, he's defending finalist points here (300 points). He would fall out of the top 50 if he doesn't do a good job at defending them!
He opens against 4th seed Cilic... yikes.

 

[Meles]

He's due to reappear at Shanghai, Stockholm and Basel.

Wow. Stockholm? Delpo needs to get his ranking up so he is direct entry into events. Suprised Delpo playing that week.

 

[Fedeonic]

Wow. Stockholm? Delpo needs to get his ranking up so he is direct entry into events. Suprised Delpo playing that week.

I think Stockholm is a relative fast court and with his new big FH-slice BH game, he could make a deep run there.

 

[Meles]

Klizan and Sousa have been playing. Looks like a good one; Klizna has one the first set 6-4, and is on serve 1-2 in the 2nd. @tipsa...don'tlikehim!

 

[Meles]

Wow just saw an awesome point; both players look to be in strong form.

 

[nowhereman]

This is a 500 event and klizan is playing

You know what this means

Looks like the streak might end here. Klizan down a double break here in the third against Sousa.

 

[nowhereman]

Klizan arguing with chair umpire. Guess he thought it was a let or something.

 

[nowhereman]

Klizan with a chance to break back here.

Edit: and he does it. Still down one break, though.

 

[nowhereman]

Nice forehand DTL from Klizan there.

 

[nowhereman]

Big one out wide to hold. 4-3 Sousa.

 

[nowhereman]

Sousa holds easily there. One game away.

 

[nowhereman]

Double fault to give Sousa MP.

 

[nowhereman]

Klizan nets it to finish things off. Sousa wins 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. Looks like it won't be a third 500 this year.

 

[nowhereman]

Solid match from Sousa. 28 winners to 23 UFE, 10 aces, 76% first serve won, and 55% second serve won.

 

[Meles]

@Doctor/Lawyer Red Devil Cilic needs your help.

 

[stringertom]

Paire grew a pair after a Cilic bagel was served to him and takes the second set. On serve early in the third.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Defending finalist Paire loses in the 1R. Loses 300 points from his ranking. Drops 10 spots to 47th in the world and can only go lower if more people win. Not good for him.

 

[The Green Mile]

Paire's ranking is finally starting to reflect his crap tennis. About time. It's felt like he's been floating around #20 for a long time...

 

[stringertom]

Soeda going GOAT on serve...lost just four points in a TB set win vs Fiasco!

 

[nowhereman]

Nishi, Cilic and Verdasco all pushed to three sets, but prevail anyway.

Cilic and Verdasco to face in R2. Expect much choking from both players.

 

[Slice'n'dice]

There a reason why Krygios is everyone's pick for this it seems? Haven't watched much tennis the last few weeks but I haven't heard about him winning tournaments or anything.

Has to be the humble honourable samurai winning his home tournament. Why not?

 

[Meles]

There a reason why Krygios is everyone's pick for this it seems? Haven't watched much tennis the last few weeks but I haven't heard about him winning tournaments or anything.

Has to be the humble honourable samurai winning his home tournament. Why not?

Kyrgios beat Berdy twice this year. If he gets hot with his serve he's hard to beat. Ninja makes a lot of sense as he's having a great year and has won this event several times. After going three sets with Young, Nishikori needs to pull it together as his draw is probably the toughest in the tournament.

 

[gn]

Happy to see Nishi get through. Need to grab these points to end the year in Top 4. He should not allow himself to get another USO-like draw at AO'17.
Luckily, he does not have much to defend like Rafa. So he may get a favorable draw in upcoming tournaments.

 

[Nostradamus]

what kind of shoes is Nishioka wearing against Goffin match right now ??

 

[nowhereman]

McFly with a break already.

 

[nowhereman]

Nishioka with a break right back.

 

[nowhereman]

Nishioka consolidates that break with a hold. 2-1 on serve.

 

[nowhereman]

Goffin saves some BPs there. Holds for 2-2.

 

[nowhereman]

Some nicely constructed points from Nishioka that service game. 3-2 on serve.

 

[nowhereman]

Great anticipation from Nishioka. Superb backhand DTL.

 

[nowhereman]

Ooh, McFly shanks it to gift Nishioka the break. Third break of the match so far.

 

[nowhereman]

McFly losing it! Smashed that racquet good.

 

[nowhereman]

Double fault from Nishioka. First from either guy.

 

[nowhereman]

Nice hands at the net that point. Chance for Goffin to break back.

 

[nowhereman]

Nishioka nets that one and it's back on serve. 4-3 Nishioka.

 

[nowhereman]

Couple of aces from McFly to seal that service game. 4 all.

 

[nowhereman]

That forehand just out. McFly misses a chance to break.