Nadal defeats Soeda in Tokyo

Tokyo: Top-seeded Rafael Nadal eased past Go Soeda of Japan 6-3, 6-2 on Tuesday to reach the second round of the Japan Open.

Nadal broke Soeda with a perfect lob to close out the first set and wrapped up the victory in 1 hour, 30 minutes at Ariake Colosseum. The 10-time Grand Slam champion, who got in 85 percent of his first serves in the victory, will play Milos Raonic of Canada in the second round. Raonic beat Japanese wild card Yuichi Sugita 6-7 (4), 6-3, 7-6 (1) to advance. Third-seeded David Ferrer of Spain ousted Kei Nishikori of Japan 6-4, 6-3 in another first-round match. The fifth-ranked Ferrer saved two break points in the final game of the second set, before converting his first match point. He also saved to break points when level at 2-2 in the second set before breaking in the next game with a crosscourt forehand winner. Ivan Dodig of Croatia also advanced by ousting eighth-seeded Juan Monaco of Argentina 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (1). Dodig saved a match point in his final service game of the third set before dominating the tiebreaker to clinch the victory in 2:42. Dodig will take on David Nalbandian of Argentina, after the 2002 Wimbledon finalist routed Lukas Rosol of the Czech Republic 6-1, 6-1. In earlier first-round action, Alex Bogomolov Jr. of the United States beat Jarkko Nieminen of Finland 6-4, 6-4. Second-seeded Andy Murray of Britain will meet Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus in a first-round match on Wednesday. Bureau Report