The 2017 edition of the Rakuten Japan Open is the appetizer before the Shanghai Masters. Players will seek a championship, but they mostly want to win a few matches and get match-play preparation for China. That’s an important purpose to be attained at an even which – for many – marks the start of the ATP Tour Asian swing. We’re not going to see any superstars at this event but there are some big names. The field is headlined by Marin Cilic, who will be among the favorites to win this week. Let’s take a closer look to see if his big serve can get the job done.
The competition in the 32-player main draw begins on Monday, October 2.
Event Details
Event: Rakuten Japan Open
Category: ATP World Tour – 500 Series
Date: October 2-8, 2017
Location: Ariake Coliseum – Tokyo, Japan
With a prize money allotment of just under 1.57 million dollars, the 500-point tournament is roughly half as lucrative as the China Open in Beijing. This is the ATP event with the longest history in Asia, dating back to 1972. The calendar is a cluttered one at this time of year – events are crammed together – but the history of this event still brings in notable players to a tournament players know will go on as scheduled, given the retractable roof center court. There is a consistency and dependability to this event players appreciate.
Points
Champion – 500
Runner-up – 300
Semifinal – 180
Quarterfinal – 90
Round of 16 – 45
Former Champions and Results (5 Years)
Year Champion Runner-up Score
2016 – Nick Kyrgios def. David Goffin – 4-6, 6-3, 7-5
2015 – Stan Wawrinka def. Benoit Paire – 6-2, 6-4
2014 – Kei Nishikori def. Milos Raonic – 7-6, 4-6, 6-4
2013 – Juan Martin del Potro def. Milos Raonic – 7-6, 4-6, 6-4
2012 – Kei Nishikori def. Milos Raonic – 7-6, 3-6, 6-0
Player Info:
Marin Cilic has had a frustrating time after his Wimbledon heroics. An adductor strain and foot injuries meant he missed the lead-up tournaments to the U.S. Open, of which one was the Cincinnati Masters, where he was the defending champion. When he returned at Flushing Meadows, he wasn’t able to find his A game. At his most successful Slam, Cilic was sent packing by Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman in four sets in the third round. The Croatian hasn’t played on the ATP Tour since his loss at the U.S. Open, but he did look in full flow in the Laver Cup, an exhibition event played to honor the legendary Rod Laver in Prague.
Cilic will play on the ATP Tour for the first time after four weeks, but the way he was spanking the ball in Prague, he won’t feel the rust going into his first match in Tokyo.
Dominic Thiem suffered a soul-crushing loss to Juan Martin del Potro in New York, where he couldn’t capitalize on a two-sets-to-love lead nor the multiple match points that came his way. Still, it can be said Thiem had a moderately encouraging U.S. Open, where he matched his best result by reaching the fourth round.
However, his hardcourt game needs a lot of fine tuning. In the ongoing ATP event in Chengdu, Thiem fell to unheralded Guido Pella in straight sets in the opening round. The loss doesn’t mean much but will he learn from that?
Milos Raonic hasn’t played since his opening-round defeat to Adrian Mannarino in Montreal. Raonic has every right to be disappointed and to feel unlucky that he got injured at the wrong time. In the absence of Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, and Stan Wawrinka, the tall Canadian could’ve easily been the one holding the U.S. Open trophy. He has been as unfortunate not to have won in Tokyo. Raonic has made to it to the finals three consecutive times earlier this decade, and each time he has come up second best. The players he lost to– Nishikori and Del Potro – are not present in Japan this year.
When he steps on the court in Tokyo, he will be determined to play himself into form and eventually change his horrific final streak.
Ariake Coliseum
The facility is in step with the times. There are 48 courts at the Coliseum’s larger tennis facility, and the main stadium court itself has a retractable roof, ensuring tennis during rain or other inclement weather. The main court seats 10,000 people.
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