Japan Open: World No 291 Noguchi wins first match at ATP Tour level

Japanese qualifier Rio Noguchi, aged 23, edged out Indian qualifier Ramkumar Ramanathan 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (1) to reach the second round of the Japan Open at the Ariake Colosseum in Tokyo on Tuesday night.

It was a huge opportunity for both of the players, Ramanathan being ranked No 297 and Nogichu No 291. It was his first win at ATP Tour level.

Noguchi will play the winner of the match between Canadian Denis Shapovalov, the No 7 seed, and American Steve Johnson next.

Tokyo ATP 500, other first-round results (Ariake Colosseum, hard, USD 1.953.285, most recent results first):

• James Duckworth vs. Taylor Fritz: Tuesday in Tokyo
• Denis Shapovalov vs. Steve Johnson: Tuesday in Tokyo
• Miomir Kecmanovic vs. Yoshihito Nishioka: Tuesday in Tokyo
• Hiroki Moriya vs. Yuta Shimizu: Tuesday in Tokyo
• Sho Shimabukuro vs. Kamil Majchrzak: Tuesday in Tokyo
• Nick Kyrgios vs. Chun-Hsin Tseng: Tuesday in Tokyo
• Jaume Munar beat Casper Ruud (1): 6-3, 6-3
• Daniel Evans (8) beat Radu Albot: 6-7 (3), 6-1, 6-4
• Borna Coric (9) beat Thanasi Kokkinakis: 6-4, 7-6 (4)
• SoonWoo Kwon beat Alex De Minaur (6): 6-3, 6-2
• Mackenzie McDonald beat Kaichi Uchida (WC): 7-6 (4), 6-7 (2), 6-3
• Frances Tiafoe (4) beat Yasutaka Uchiyama (WC): 6-3, 6-4
• Bernabe Zapata Miralles beat Taro Daniel: 7-5, 7-5
• Brandon Nakashima beat Shintaro Mochizuki (WC): 6-3, 6-2
• Pedro Martinez beat Alexei Popyrin: 7-5, 6-4