Moodie, Fleishman advance in Japan Open

TOKYO, Oct. 1 (UPI) -- Unseeded Wesley Moodie claimed a first-round victory Monday at the $832,000 Japan Open and earned a shot at the tournament's No. 1 seed.

Moodie won this event in 2005 but isn't among the seeded entries in 2007. He needed a pair of tiebreakers Monday to get by Simone Bolelli, 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (10-8). That puts him into a second-round match Wednesday against Japan Open top-seed David Ferrer.

Zack Fleishman, also unseeded, lost just one game in the final set of his 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 6-1 win over Kei Nishkori. The draw next has Fleishman going against Richard Gasquet, who is coming off a tournament victory in Mumbai last week.

In other matches Monday, Paul Capdeville topped Teimuraz Gabashvili, 7-6 (7-4), 7-5; Ivan Navarro edged Robin Haase, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-0); Yen-Hsun Lu overcame Danai Udomchoke, 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (9-7), 6-1; and Mischa Zverev beat Fabio Fognini, 6-1, 7-6 (9-7).

Roger Federer won the 2006 Japan Open but withdrew last week, citing fatigue.

The winner of the 2007 Japan Open will earn $145,000.