Gambill leads three Americans at Japan Open
TOKYO -- Jan-Michael Gambill defeated Peter Wessels of the Netherlands 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 Monday to lead three American men into the second round of the Japan Open.
Gambill was joined by Eric Taino and Kevin Kim. Taino defeated Tasuku Iwami of Japan 7-6 (9), 6-4, and Kim downed Denis Gremelmayr of Germany 6-2, 7-6 (3). The 16 seeded men received byes into the second round.
Among the women, seventh-seeded Shinobu Asagoe of Japan defeated Maria Vento-Kabchi of Venezuela 6-3, 6-3. Asagoe was the only seeded player competing in singles Monday. Top-seeded Vera Zvonareva of Russia opens Tuesday against Catalina Castano of Colombia.
In other women's matches, Japan's Saori Obata defeated Slovakia's Martina Sucha 6-1, 6-0; Slovakia's Henrieta Nagyova topped Italy's Tathiana Garbin 6-7 (7), 6-1, 6-2; and Japan's Rika Fujiwara ousted Australia's Sybille Bammer in a walkover.
Among the men, Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador defeated Takahiro Ittogi of Japan 6-0, 6-1.
Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press
