Tennis: Djokovic cruises into second round in Tokyo, Murray outlasts Berrettini to advance in Beijing
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Novak Djokovic serves during his men's singles first round match against Alexei Popyrin at the Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo on Oct 1, 2019.
PHOTO: AFP
(REUTERS) - World No. 1 Novak Djokovic blasted past qualifier Alexei Popyrin 6-4, 6-2 on Tuesday (Oct 1) to reach the second round of the Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo.
Playing in his first singles match since retiring from his US Open fourth-round match with Stan Wawrinka owing to a left shoulder issue, the Serb showed he was fighting fit as he fired seven aces and won 84 per cent of points on his first serve.
In the China Open, Andy Murray showed all the grit and determination that took him to the top of the world rankings and more recently return from hip surgery, as he overcame Matteo Berrettini 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (9-7) to enter the second round.
The Scot, who won his first ATP Tour singles encounter in nine months at Zhuhai last week after hip resurfacing surgery, saved five out of seven break points and converted two of his own to down the US Open semi-finalist in a little over two hours.
Djokovic, now into his 271st week at No. 1 having passed Ivan Lendl (270) for third place in the all-time list to trail just Roger Federer and Pete Sampras, takes on local favourite Go Soeda in the next round.
Japanese wild card Taro Daniel stunned second seed Borna Coric 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), while compatriot Yasutaka Uchiyama took down French fourth seed Benoit Paire 6-2, 6-2.
Seventh seed Taylor Fritz fell 6-3, 6-4 to fellow American Reilly Opelka, while Radu Albot and Gilles Simon advanced.
In Beijing, the 32-year-old Murray, ranked 503rd in the world, is stepping up his singles comeback in the Asian swing of the ATP Tour and takes on fellow Briton Cameron Norrie next.
Norrie, 24, advanced after his Chilean opponent Cristian Garin retired from their clash with the score at 7-6 (7-5), 1-0 on Monday.
Gael Monfils followed eighth seed Berrettini out of the tournament after the Frenchman was beaten 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3 by unseeded American John Isner.
Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime later swatted aside Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-3, 6-4 to set up a match with world No. 6 Alexander Zverev.
Top seed Dominic Thiem is in action against veteran Frenchman Richard Gasquet.
