Tokyo
Tiafoe, Shapovalov stumble as opening-day upsets shock Tokyo
Fucsovics rallies previous former finalist Tiafoe; Berrettini earns first win since Might
September 24, 2025
Richard A. Brooks/Getty Photos
Marton Fucsovics is up seven spots to No. 51 within the PIF ATP Stay Rankings.
By Jerome Coombe
Frances Tiafoe and Denis Shapovalov each watched vivid beginnings slip away on a turbulent opening Wednesday on the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo.
Taifoe suffered his first opening-round hard-court lack of the season (10-1) by the hands of qualifier Marton Fucsovics, who fought for a 3-6, 6-1, 7-5 victory. The 2022 Tokyo finalist pressed arduous in a topsy-turvy decider marked by three service breaks, however Fucsovics received a sequence of bruising baseline exchanges to seal the upset.
Tokyo Debut Delight! 👏
Marton Fucsovics takes out eighth seed Tiafoe (3-6 6-1 7-5) to maneuver into Spherical 2 @japanopentennis | #kinoshitajotennis pic.twitter.com/YCM4fIq1Dw
— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 24, 2025
By bettering to 3-2 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head sequence with Tiafoe, Fucsovics climbed seven spots to No. 51 within the PIF ATP Stay Rankings. The Hungarian received his third ATP Tour title in Winston-Salem final month and can proceed his marketing campaign within the Japanese capital in opposition to Brandon Nakashima or Jordan Thompson.
Shapovalov’s exit got here earlier in opposition to Daniel Altmaier, who scored for his fifth Prime 30 win of the season with a 7-5, 6-3 triumph. Shapovalov — in his first outing since marrying partner Mirjam Bjorklund — will rue his missed alternatives within the opening set.
The Canadian dropped 4 straight video games from 5-3, and missed 4 set factors on return at 5-4 earlier than Altmaier clawed again the momentum and raced to a 90-minute victory. The 27-year-old Altmaier is now on the verge of a brand new milestone: He’s as much as No. 49 within the PIF ATP Stay Rankings, only one shy of his profession excessive.
In different early motion on Day 1 in Tokyo, Matteo Berrettini earned his first victory since Might by shifting previous Jaume Munar 6-4, 6-2. The Italian returned to motion final week in Hangzhou after a two-and-a-half month damage hiatus, however fell to fortunate loser Dalibor Svrcina in his opener.
Watch Prolonged Highlights of Day 1 motion in Tokyo:
Though the previous World No. 6 Berrettini hit 28 unforced errors in opposition to Munar and didn’t look sometimes sharp, he was capable of rely on his aggressive recreation and overpowered the Spaniard with 32 winners. He additionally saved all eight break factors he confronted, in accordance with Infosys ATP Stats, and can subsequent face fourth seed Casper Ruud or residence wild card Shintaro Mochizuki.
Nuno Borges additionally superior, rallying previous wild card Yosuke Watanuki 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 for his personal-best twenty fifth win of the season. Subsequent in his debut marketing campaign in Tokyo, the Portuguese arrange a big-serving conflict with second seed Taylor Fritz or Gabriel Diallo, who face off on Thursday.
