It was a mixed day for Japan's top players at the Japan Open in Ariake, Tokyo on Wednesday. In the men's draw, Takeo Suzuki advanced to the last 16, beating South Africa's Wayne Moodie 6-1, 7-6 (7-3) on the back of 12 aces while Gouichi Motomura went down 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) to Dane Kenneth Carlesen.
Japan's Takao Suzuki serves to opponent Weslie Moodie of South Africa during second-round match at the Japan Open tennis tournament at Tokyo's Ariake Tennis Forest Park.
There was a battle of epic proportions in the women's event, when top seed Ai Sugiyama was taken to a third-set tiebreaker by unheralded compatriot Yuka Yoshida, ranked a lowly 152 in the world. Sugiyama eventually prevailed 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7-0) but not before Yoshida had given her a few scares.