Tokyo: Tabilo routs Paul as Musetti withdraws with finger fracture

The Japan Open was only one day old when it lost its first seed. Alejandro Tabilo beat seventh seed Tommy Paul 6-1, 6-2 in 74 minutes on Wednesday, the most lopsided result of the first round at the ATP 500 event in Tokyo. Rain hit the outside courts and pushed several matches back. The tournament also lost Lorenzo Musetti before he could play a match.

Paul's serve deserts him

The Chilean left-hander took control from the start and never let up. Paul's serve, usually one of his most reliable weapons, broke down. The American won only 17 of 31 points behind his first serve, or 55 per cent, and hit six double faults. Tabilo faced little pressure in either set as he reached the second round.

The result also makes the top half of the draw more interesting. Paul had been the seeded quarter-final opponent in defending champion Carlos Alcaraz's section. The Spaniard starts his title defence on Thursday against Alex Michelsen. It is the pair's first meeting on the main tour.

Fils the qualifier stays perfect in Tokyo

A world No. 9 playing qualifying at an ATP 500 is a strange sight, but that is the road Arthur Fils took to Tokyo after deciding late to enter. He came through Martin Damm and Kamil Majchrzak and then beat fellow Frenchman Luca Van Assche 6-3, 6-2 in 94 minutes.

"You come as a new Top-10 player and come to play qualies at a 500, at a tournament that I won. So I was very tight," Fils said, according to the ATP. The 2024 Tokyo champion is now 6-0 in main-draw matches at the event. He is also in the form of his life. This season he has won the Masters 1000 title in Cincinnati and the ATP 500 crown in Barcelona, and he is the first Frenchman in eight years to break into the Top 10. Next up is either Frances Tiafoe or Kei Nishikori, the two-time Tokyo champion who is playing the event for the last time.

Alcaraz beats Lehecka to defend Tokyo title, first since wrist injury

Eighth seed Valentin Vacherot also went through, beating Alexander Blockx 7-6(2), 7-6(4) in two hours. Matteo Arnaldi came back from a set down to beat Japanese wildcard Rei Sakamoto 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Musetti out with a fractured finger

Also on Wednesday, Lorenzo Musetti confirmed his withdrawal. "Unfortunately, I won't be able to compete in Tokyo this year due to a small fracture in my right ring finger that I sustained during a tennis practice," the Italian said. He is ranked No. 25 and missed Roland Garros and Wimbledon earlier this year with a thigh injury. Musetti hopes to be fit for the Rolex Shanghai Masters, which runs from 7 to 18 October.

The weather is now adding to the schedule pressure. Matches postponed on Wednesday are expected to be squeezed into Thursday's programme, along with the openers for Alcaraz and other leading names.