Jeremy Chardy ousts Yuichi Sugita in the opener – Rakuten Japan Open 2012
World number 31, Jeremy Chardy of France, booked his place for the next stage by beating Japanese wild card player, Yuichi Sugita, in straight sets 6-1, 7-5 in the first round of the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo
on Tuesday.
Chardy required one hour and 13 minutes to record this win over his local rival.
The Frenchman made an ideal start, as he struck in the second game and held his following serve to grab a 3-0 lead. Chardy nailed second break in the sixth and made the most of double advantage to win 6-1.
The 25-year-old hit five aces and 65 percent of the first serves, converting 12 of the 15 of them into points. The Liege, Belgium resident could not do well on the second returns, as he lost five of the eight points on them but
compensated that by sealing five of the eight second delivery and seven of the 10 second returns. The French national put away all the three break threats he came across and availed two of the four he created in the opener.
After a one sided first set, a tough competition took place in the second one. Chardy and Sugita did not lose their serve in the first 10 games, squaring off the proceedings at 5-5. The French contestant, however, succeeded in
clinching a breakthrough in the 11th and capitalised on it to triumph 7-5.
Chardy served incredibly well, as he bombarded nine aces and did not commit even a single double fault. The Frenchman captured 14 of the 17 first and 10 of the 13 second delivery points. The 6ft 2in tall could not do the same stuff
on returns but at least fared better than his opponent, as he pocketed five of the 16 first and five of the 15 second reply points. The Pau, France born did not face any break point and converted the only one he received.
The right-hander, Chardy, will play the seventh seed, Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland, in the second round. Wawrinka toppled another Japanese wild card entrant, Hiroki Moriya, in three sets in the first round.
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