In a compelling second-round match at the ATP 500 in Tokyo, Casper Ruud will face Matteo Berrettini. Ruud enters with mixed recent form but showcased his resilience in his opening match. After dropping the first set to Shintaro Mochizuki, the Norwegian elevated his game dramatically, conceding only two more games to secure the victory. This followed a solid straight-sets win at the Laver Cup, and Ruud will be looking to improve on his first-round exit at last year’s Tokyo tournament.
Matteo Berrettini is also seeking momentum after a season hampered by injuries. The Italian’s competitive return since Wimbledon resulted in a disappointing first-round loss in Hangzhou last week, but he bounced back impressively in his Tokyo opener, dispatching Jaume Munar in a commanding straight-sets win. Berrettini’s performance was highlighted by his composure under pressure, as he saved all eight break points he faced. Heading into their ninth career meeting, Ruud holds a 5-3 head-to-head advantage and appears to have the edge in current form, making him the favorite to advance.
In another second-round encounter, American Jenson Brooksby takes on Luciano Darderi for the first time. Brooksby, who reached the second round of the US Open, is searching for a strong result on hard courts this season. He demonstrated his fighting spirit in his opening match in Tokyo, overturning a 1-4 first-set deficit to defeat Ugo Humbert in straight sets.
Luciano Darderi arrives in good form, having won a recent Challenger title on his preferred clay surface. His transition to hard courts has been mixed, but he started his Tokyo campaign strongly with a straight-sets win over Yoshihito Nishioka. In that match, the Italian saved a set point in the opener and did not face a single break point in the second set as he looks to secure valuable ranking points to maintain his top-30 status. Despite Darderi’s recent success, Brooksby’s game is better suited to the hard-court surface, where he is expected to have a significant advantage in baseline rallies.
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