Berdych, Wawrinka win Tokyo openers
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic and Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka were among the winners Monday in the first round of the Japan Open.
The second-seeded Berdych rolled through the first set and earned a 6-1, 7-6 (8-6) victory over Frenchman Benoit Paire, while the seventh-seeded Wawrinka went the distance in a 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 triumph over Japanese wild card Hiroki Moriya.
Berdych won this title in 2008 and is one of two former Japan Open champions in this week's field. Top-seeded Andy Murray is the other, having won the title last year.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Murray is playing his first tournament since capturing the U.S. Open last month for his first career Grand Slam title. He'll have a difficult first match on Tuesday against Frenchman Gael Monfils, who was the Japan Open runner-up in 2010.
Other winners Monday on a limited schedule were Viktor Troicki of Serbia and Slovakia's Lukas Lacko. Troicki eased past Dutchman Robin Haase, 6-2, 6-3, while Lacko thumped Spain's Albert Ramos, 6-0, 6-2, in a mere 59 minutes.
The winner of this event will claim a first prize of $308,000.