Rakuten Japan Open, Tokyo, Sep 30-Oct.9

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Next week Marcos will keep on his Asian campaign in Tokyo, at the Rakuten Japan Open.

Official site: www.atpworldtour.com/Tennis/Tournaments/Tokyo.aspx

Main Singles Draw available here:
www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2013/329/mds.pdf

Tricky draw as Marcos will face n°1 seeded Juan Martin Del Potro in the 1st round.

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The match between Marcos and JM Del Potro is scheduled on Tuesday, on Center Court, right after the match between F. Lopez and T. Ito (start at 11am).

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It was a tricky draw and even Del Potro said so in his aftermatch interview. Anywway, Marcos lost to Del Potro 4-6 6-4 6-3

From the ATP Site:

Del Potro Begins Tokyo Title Quest

Juan Martin del Potro began his quest for the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships title on Tuesday.

As rain suspended play on the outside courts, top seed del Potro came through a gutsy challenge from Marcos Baghdatis to win 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in just over two hours under a closed roof at the Ariake Coliseum.

“I knew drawing Baghdatis in the first round could be the worst match that I could have,” said del Potro. “He plays really well on hard courts and I realised his potential. It was a really good match and we both played very well. I really tried to focus to break serve, but Marcos hit a lot of aces and served well."

Baghdatis, a semi-finalist last year, was particularly fluent on serve and rarely allowed del Potro to play his best tennis. Having spent 37 hours reaching Tokyo, del Potro fought back from a slow start and appeared to raise his game at 4-4 in the second set.

In a fiercely contested third set, Baghdatis saved two break points in the eighth game. But with his energy flagging after several long baseline rallies, del Potro seized his chance to break serve.

Baghdatis hit 17 aces and lost nine of his first service points, but the former World No. 8 could not deny del Potro, who was playing his first match since he suffered a US Open second round loss to Lleyton Hewitt. The pair also met at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in February.

“I was feeling good on the court, after one month at home," said del Potro. "I am ready to play well here, but I realise that I will need to play better against Berlocq. My wrist is okay and I was hitting my backhand almost 100 per cent. My serve went well and I didn’t double fault, which I am happy about."

www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2013/10/40/Tokyo-Tuesday-Del-Potro-Baghdatis.aspx