Japan Open: Nishioka saves matchpoints to oust Auger-Aliassime in 3-hour, 12-minute marathon

Japanese wildcard Yoshihito Nishioka edged out Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6 (5), 3-6, 7-6 (5) to move into the second round of the Japan Open on Thursday.

The match lasted an incredible 3 hours and 12 minutes and Nishioka saved two matchpoints in the 12th game of the final set before emerging victorious.

Nishioka, ranked No 59, will face the winner of the match between Chilean Alejandro Tabilo and Dane Holger Rune, the No 6 seed, next at the Ariake Colosseum in Tokyo.

Tokyo ATP 500, other first-round matches (Ariake Colosseum, hard, USD 1.818.380, most recent results first):

• Casper Ruud vs. Jordan Thompson
• Marin Cilic vs. Kei Nishikori
• Taylor Fritz vs. Arthur Fils
• Alejandro Tabilo vs. Holger Rune
• Tomas Martin Etcheverry vs. Christopher O’Connell
• Frances Tiafoe vs. Brandon Nakashima: thursday
• Reilly Opelka vs. Ben Shelton: thursday
• Alex Michelsen (Q) beat Stefanos Tsitsipas (4): 4-6, 6-1, 6-2
• Tomas Machac beat Alexei Popyrin: 6-3, 6-7 (5), 7-5
• Jack Draper beat Mattia Bellucci (Q): 6-4, 6-2
• Tommy Paul (5) beat Matteo Arnaldi: 6-3, 6-2
• Ugo Humbert beat Shintaro Mochizuki (WC): 6-1, 6-2
• Hubert Hurkacz (2) beat Marcos Giron: 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-4
• Matteo Berrettini beat Botic van de Zandschulp (Q): 6-3, 6-4
• Mariano Navone beat Luciano Darderi: 6-4, 6-4