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Order of Play – Monday, October 1, 2012

CENTRE COURT - Matches Start At: 11:00 am

Albert RAMOS (ESP) vs Lukas LACKO (SVK)

followed by

Benoit PAIRE (FRA) vs Tomas BERDYCH (CZE) [2]

followed by

[WC] Hiroki MORIYA (JPN) vs Stanislas WAWRINKA (SUI) [7]

followed by

Viktor TROICKI (SRB) vs Robin HAASE (NED)

H2H Tomas Berdych vs Benoit Paire

it starts well in Tokyo for Tomas

Tomas Berdych plays a backhand in his first round match against Benoit Paire of France during day one of the Rakuten Open at Ariake Colosseum on October 1, 2012 in Tokyo, Japan.

RAKUTEN OPEN 2012

Berdych Wins Opener Against Paire

by ATP Staff  |  01.10.2012

World No. 6 Tomas Berdych defeated Benoit Paire 6-1, 7-6(6) to win his opener on Monday at the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo.

The second seed served for the match at 5-4 in the second set, but was broken for the first time by Paire. Berdych was forced to save a set point in the ensuing tie-break before closing out the Frenchman in one hour and 44 minutes. He won 83 per cent of his first serve points.

The Czech has hit his stride in recent weeks, reaching the Winston-Salem Open final (l. to Isner), upsetting top-ranked Roger Federer en route to the US Open semi-finals (l. to Murray) and leading his country through to the Davis Cup final on the road against Argentina by winning three live rubbers. He is currently seventh in the South African Airways ATP Rankings Race To London, which determines the eight players who qualify for the season-ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. Berdych is bidding to reach the season finale for the third straight year, having reached the semi-finals in 2011.

“I’m going match-by-match. So far I’ve had a pretty good season,” Berdych told RakutenOpen.com. “I’m not counting it in general. I had some great results that I can count towards that and I hope if I continue with my game, it will qualify me for London.”

Berdych is one of two former champions in the Tokyo draw, along with top-seeded reigning titlist Andy Murray. Berdych triumphed in 2008 versus Juan Martin del Potro.

“I have nice memories here. I like coming back to Tokyo,” said Berdych. “It was one of the biggest tournaments I won in the past. It gives me positive thinking. As with any other week, I want to do well and try and play my tennis.”

Berdych wins first-round match in Tokyo

Tomas Happy To Be Through

Berdych beats Paire in Japan Open

Monday, October 1, 2012

Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic quashed a spirited challenge from Frenchman Benoit Paire to clear the first hurdle at the Japan Open tennis tournament on Monday.

The 2008 champion, fresh from reaching the semi-finals at the US Open last month, got off to a flying start before ending up with a 6-1, 7-6 (8/6) victory in 104 minutes.

"I thought the match might be tough since the beginning, so I was a bit surprised how I won the first set. But it was going to be even a bigger fight. He made me fight hard in the second set," said the second seed.

Berdych added he was not in his peak physical condition due to jet lag. "It was very tough to stay focused on each point. When I was 5-4 up (in the second set), I lost my serve, got into the tie-break, facing a set point down. It was a very close one in the end. I'm happy to take it on my serve," he said.

In the second round, Berdych will play either Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil or Alejandro Falla of Colombia.

ATP Homepage of Monday, October 1, 2012