Top seed Marin Cilic dumped out in the first round in Japan
Top seed Marin Cilic was a first-round casualty at the Japan Open, losing in three sets against Jan-Lennard Struff.
Playing in his first match since losing in the quarter-final at the US Open, Cilic started well as he won the opening set, but things went pear shaped after that with the German securing a 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-1) victory.
All the feels, @Struffitennis 🙌
Jan-Lennard Struff engineers his 2nd career Top-10 win, upsetting Marin Cilic 3-6 6-4 7-6(1) in Tokyo.#rakutenopen pic.twitter.com/RsgF19p4wO
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 2, 2018
One break of serve was enough to earn the Croatian the opening set while Struff followed a similar route in the second set. After two breaks a piece in the decider, it went to the tie-breaker and it was the German who dominated.
Next up for Struff is Jeremy Chardy after the Frenchman also came from a set down to beat Damir Dzumhur 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Meanwhile, Stan Wawrinka set up a second-round clash against Denis Shapovalov after securing a solid 6-3, 6-4 win over Taylor Fritz.
2015 champion @stanwawrinka is off to a flying start at #rakutenopen.
🇨🇭 🙌
He defeats Taylor Fritz 6-3 6-4 to set round two clash with Denis Shapovalov. pic.twitter.com/oH615h4cxl
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 2, 2018
Fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas is safely through on the back of a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Taro Daniel while eighth seed Richard Gasquet beat Denis Kudla 7-6 (10-8), 6-3.
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