Tuesday 30 September 2014 11:37, UK
Top seed Stanislas Wawrinka was sent crashing out of the Rakuten Japan Open after being beaten 7-5 6-2 by home wildcard Tatsuma Ito.
Ito, ranked 103rd in the world, broke the Australian Open champion’s serve four times as he secured a shock win in the opening round of the Tokyo tournament.
Wawrinka helped Switzerland reach the final of the Davis Cup two weeks ago but looked out of form in his first ATP Tour match since the US Open.
Ito won five games in row at the end of the first set and start of the second and when Wawrinka threatened to break back at 2-3, the Japanese player managed to hold firm then responded with another break of his own.
Ito will next face Germany’s Benjamin Becker, who was leading 7-5 4-1 when Jarkko Nieminen retired from their first round clash.
Sixth seed Roberto Bautista Agut was also eliminated from the tournament after he squandered six match points against Gilles Simon.
Bautista Agut retired due to a right leg injury with Simon leading 4-6 7-6 (9-7) 2-1. Simon saved five match points in the 12th game of the second set and another in the tie-break.
