Pouille, favorite player number 5 of this tournament and in the 24th position of the ATP ranking, got rid of the Polish Hubert Jurkacz without much difficulty, 6-4 and 6-3. In the second round he will face the Japanese Yoshihito Nishioka.
It also didn’t cost Cilic too much to defeat Japanese Yuichi Sugita 6-4, 6-4, and in the next round he will face South Korean Hyeon Chung.
The Serbian Novak Djokovic, the Croatian Borna Coric and the Belgian David Goffin are the first three favorites of the tournament, endowed with 1.9 million dollars in prize money.
Dojovic made his debut in Tokyo today, but in doubles, together with his compatriot Filip Krajinovic, although they were defeated by the pair formed by the Croatian Mate Pavic and the Brazilian Bruno Soares, 6-2, 4-6 and 10-4.
Djokovic will face the Australian Alexei Popyrin on Tuesday, and if he confirms his victory, as is predictable, he will play in the next round with the Japanese Go Soeda.
Spanish Pablo Andújar will also debut in the tournament on Tuesday, against French Gilles Simon, while another Hispanic, Pablo Carreño Busta, will do so on Wednesday against Belgian David Goffin.
– Individual. First round:
Go Soeda (JAP) to Jan-Lennard Struff (ALE), 4-6, 7-6 (4) and 6-3.
Lucas Pouille (FRA, 5) to Hubert Hurkacz (POL), 6-4 and 6-3.
Marin Cilic (CRO, 6) to Yuichi Sugita (JAP), 6-4 and 6-4
Yoshihito Nishioka (JAP) to Joao Sousa (POR), 7-5 and 6-3
Hyeon Chung (COR) to Lorenzo Sonego (ITA), 3-6, 6-3 and 6-4. EFE