Tokyo's Hard Courts Claim Early Seeded Casualties
In the humid haze of Ariake Coliseum, favorites Frances Tiafoe and Denis Shapovalov see their seasons teeter as qualifiers seize the moment, turning the Japan Open's opener into a cauldron of upsets and raw resolve.
The Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships ignited under Tokyo's unyielding humidity, where the indoor hard courts amplified every slide and spin into a symphony of tension. Bright starts for seeded players dissolved into gritty battles, exposing the psychological fractures that hard-court swings inflict on even the most armored competitors. As the urban pulse seeped through the coliseum walls, the day's chaos reshaped the draw, with underdogs thriving on the surface's quick bite and low bounce.
Tiafoe's armor cracks in the decider
Frances Tiafoe, the eighth seed and 2022 finalist here, arrived with a pristine 10-1 record in opening-round hard-court matches this season, his serve a relentless force in high-stakes rallies. Yet qualifier Marton Fucsovics dismantled that streak, clawing to a 3-6, 6-1, 7-5 victory through deep topspin forehands that pinned the American deep behind the baseline. In the topsy-turvy third set, three service breaks swung the momentum like a pendulum, but Fucsovics absorbed Tiafoe's down-the-line backhands and crowd-surging energy, countering with steady crosscourt patterns and a resilient one–two off the serve to seal the bruising exchanges.
Improving to 3-2 in their ATP Head2Head series, the Hungarian surged seven spots to No. 51 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, building on his third ATP Tour title from Winston-Salem last month. As he advances to face Brandon Nakashima or Jordan Thompson, this upset highlights how Tokyo's moderate speed rewards flat-hitting persistence, leaving Tiafoe to grapple with the season's accumulating fatigue and the shadow of rankings pressure.
Tokyo Debut Delight!
— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 24, 2025
Marton Fucsovics takes out 8th seed Tiafoe (3-6 6-1 7-5) to move into Round 2 @japanopentennis | #kinoshitajotennis pic.twitter.com/YCM4fIq1Dw
Shapovalov's post-nuptial wobble exposes flaws
Denis Shapovalov stepped onto the court in his first outing since marrying partner Mirjam Bjorklund, the personal joy clashing against professional demands in a matchup with Daniel Altmaier. The Canadian forged a 5-3 lead in the opening set, his left-handed forehands whipping inside-in with precision through the thick air. But he dropped four straight games, missing four set points on return at 5-4 as aggressive shots clipped the net or drifted wide, allowing the German to reclaim control with deep, topspin lobs that shattered rhythm.
Altmaier, nearing 27, wrapped the 7-5, 6-3 triumph in 90 minutes, notching his fifth Top 30 win of the season and climbing to No. 49 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, just one shy of his career high. His subtle adjustments—targeting Shapovalov's backhand with inside-in forehands to disrupt the preferred crosscourt flow—turned the tide, underscoring how the hard courts favor patient grinders over raw power. For Shapovalov, this early exit stings sharper amid life's transitions, forcing a recalibration before the Asian swing intensifies.
Berrettini and Borges forge paths through rust
Amid the seeds' stumbles, Matteo Berrettini rediscovered victory with his first win since May, overpowering Jaume Munar 6-4, 6-2 after a two-and-a-half-month injury hiatus that included a Hangzhou opener loss to a lucky loser. Though 28 unforced errors betrayed lingering rust, he unleashed 32 winners, blending slice approaches to the net with overhead smashes that exploited the court's quick transitions. Saving all eight break points he faced, as ATP Stats detail, the Italian's aggressive game evoked his grass-court prowess, even if his forehand lacked its full whip.
Ahead lies a formidable test against fourth seed Casper Ruud or home wild card Shintaro Mochizuki, where tightening errors could amplify Berrettini's big-hitting on these unforgiving surfaces. Nuno Borges, meanwhile, rallied from a 2-6 deficit against wild card Yosuke Watanuki to secure a 6-4, 6-1 win, marking his personal-best 25th victory of the season. Shortening points with underspin slices and deep crosscourt passing shots, the Portuguese disrupted his opponent's rhythm amid shifting crowd cheers, setting up a serving showdown with second seed Taylor Fritz or Gabriel Diallo on Thursday.
These resilient advances pierce the day's turmoil, carving opportunities in a draw now electric with possibility. As Tokyo's hard courts cast long shadows of doubt over faltering favorites, the qualifiers' momentum hints at deeper runs, where mental edges and tactical tweaks will decide who claims the autumn harvest.
