Torrential Rain Curtails Action; Four Matches Completed

AFP/Getty ImagesAmer Delic In Action

Torrential rain washed out the majority of action at the AIG Japan Open Tennis Championships on Monday. Four matches were completed.

Czech Ivo Minar battled past Mischa Zverev of Germany with a 7-6(9), 2-6, 6-2 victory in one hour and 36 minutes for a place in the second round. Minar, who has hit 158 aces in 36 matches this year, saved six of eight break points in the pair�s first meeting. The World No. 102, who improved to 13-21 on the season, will next meet second seed and last week�s Beijing champion Andy Roddick.

Amer Delic (pictured) hit 14 aces past Japan’s Go Soeda to record his seventh ATP win this season for a place in the second round. The American World No. 135 triumphed 6-4, 6-2 in 70 minutes. Delic won 72 per cent of service points, saving all five break points he faced. Last year he made a first round exit (l. to Spadea). Delic has reached two ATP quarterfinals at Las Vegas (l. to Canas) and Los Angeles (l. to del Potro) in 2008. He goes on to meet compatriot and No. 13 seed Sam Querrey.

Korean Hyung-Taik Lee made a winning start to his seventh Tokyo appearance, after beating wild card Satoshi Iwabuchi 6-4, 6-2 in 66 minutes. It was the pair’s first ATP-level meeting, although they had met twice on the ATP Challenger circuit in 2000 and 2007. World No. 155 Lee struck four aces, won 21 of 29 points on first serve and converted six of 12 break point opportunities. Two years ago, he reached the Tokyo semifinals (l. to Henman). The 32-year-old, who reached the Munich quarterfinals (l. to Bolelli) in May, improved to 12-17 on the season and will next meet No. 12 seed Rainer Schuettler of Germany.

World No. 593 Takao Suzuki progressed with a 6-3, 7-6(6) win over Japanese compatriot and fellow wild card Yuichi Sugita. The 32-year-old was competing at his first ATP tournament in 12 months. Last year Suzuki made a first round exit in Tokyo to Benjamin Becker. He will meet No. 15 seed Simone Bolelli in the second round.

With the prospect of further rain tomorrow, play will be moved to the National Tennis Centre - one hour away from the Ariake Colosseum.