Tennis: Thompson upsets Ruud as top seeds tumble in Tokyo

Jordan Thompson has continued his stellar 2024 season, adding world No.9 Casper Ruud to his list of victims after upsetting the third seed at the Japan Open in Tokyo on Thursday.

The Australian beat Ruud in straight sets, winning 7-5 (5), 6-1 for his third top 10 win of the year.

“Really pleased to get the W and in straight sets, which is unusual for me,” said Thompson, who also beat the Norwegian in February in Los Cabos.

Tennis bookmakers had Ruud as a favourite heading into the match, but the ‘Laver Cup curse’ struck, with all but one of the players who competed in last week’s team event losing in Tokyo.

Top seed Taylor Fritz also fell, going down in three to up-and-coming Frenchman Arthur Fils, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

No 4 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas was upset by a young player as well, with Alex Michelsen – who came through qualifying at the Japan Open – beating him 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.

Even the in-form Frances Tiafoe could not shake the upset bug in Tokyo, with the recent US Open semi-finalist losing 7-5, 6-3 to compatriot Brandon Nakashima, while his Team World teammate Alejandro Tabilo also fell to Holger Rune, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4.

Defending champion Ben Shelton was the only Laver Cup player to survive Thursday’s action unscathed, with the 21-year-old seeing off veteran Reilly Opelka 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.

Shelton is now the heavy favourite to win the Japan Open, paying +500 to claim his third ATP title with top sports bookies.

“I have a lot of love for this tournament and this city,” Shelton said pre-tournament.

“I have a lot of confidence.

“Being here and knowing the situations I have come through in this exact stadium, in the most important moments.”

The Japan Open was Shelton’s first ATP Tour-level title, with the American beating top seed Daniil Medvedev in the final this time last year.

Sinner survives Jarry, favourite in Beijing

Over in Beijing, Jannik Sinner is looking to defend his China Open title in Beijing.

The world No.1 got his campaign off to a winning start, coming from behind to defeat Chile’s Nicolas Jarry, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 in the first round.

“He played good tennis,” said Sinner, who is a +130 favourite to win the tournament.

“In the first set I was struggling to return his serve and he broke me.

“I just tried to stay there mentally.

“The first round at any tournament is never easy and playing against him is very tough.

“But I am happy about the performance and how I ended the match.”

Sinner’s biggest competition in Beijing is likely to come from Carlos Alcaraz, who will be looking to buck the Laver Cup trend and beat Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard when he gets his tournament underway on Friday.

Alcaraz is a -1666.67 favourite to do so and sits on the second line of betting outright at the China Open, paying +187.

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