Running from October 16th to 22nd, the 2023 Japan Open will be held in the country's capital city Tokyo, where 32 singles players will vie to win one of the most lucrative ATP 500 events.
The Japan Open is one of the oldest tennis tournaments in the Open Era. It has been held since 1972, the ATP's inception year. It was only in 2020 and 2021 when the event was not staged due to the coronavirus pandemic but returned to the calendar last season.
Last year Taylor Fritz defeated Frances Tiafoe in the final in the eighth all-American final in the tournament's history. So this is a happy hunting ground for the Americans with 10 of them winning the lot - Pete Sampras accounting for three titles.
Fritz, the top seed, will return to the fold this year looking to defend his title and boost his qualification hopes for the ATP Finals. Turin aspirants Casper Ruud (second seed) and Alexander Zverev (third) will look to stop his bid and enhance their own chances.
Last year's finalist Frances Tiafoe has unfinished business in Tokyo and is coming back. He will be joined by fellow American Tommy Paul, Australia's Alex de Minaur, the out-of-form Felix Auger-Aliassime, and power-hitting Russian Karen Khachanov who make up the top eight seeds.
Home fans will be delighted to see Kei Nishikori and Yoshihito Nishioka, undoubtedly two of the most prominent Japanese players of the modern era. Nishikori will hope to recover ahead of schedule after missing nearly two months due to a knee injury.
2011 champion Andy Murray will make his fourth visit to Tokyo on the back of his best season since his comeback from hip surgery. US Open sensation Ben Shelton is embarking on his first trip to the Asian swing while entrenched in the world's Top 20.
Plenty of interesting, unseeded players, including Hubert Hurkacz, Cameron Norrie, and Francisco Cerundolo, will look to make noise. Four players will join the main draw by virtue of qualifying and four more will be granted wild cards in the days leading to the tournament.
2023 Japan Open Tokyo ATP Entry List:
| Seed | Name | Current Ranking | Entry Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taylor Fritz | 8 | 8 |
| 2 | Casper Ruud | 9 | 9 |
| 3 | Alexander Zverev | 10 | 10 |
| 4 | Frances Tiafoe | 11 | 11 |
| 5 | Alex de Minaur | 12 | 12 |
| 6 | Tommy Paul | 13 | 13 |
| 7 | Felix Auger-Aliassime | 14 | 14 |
| 8 | Karen Khachanov | 15 | 15 |
| Hubert Hurkacz | 16 | 16 | |
| Cameron Norrie | 17 | 17 | |
| Ben Shelton | 19 | 19 | |
| Francisco Cerundolo | 21 | 21 | |
| Tomas Martin Etcheverry | 35 | 35 | |
| Mackenzie McDonald | 39 | 39 | |
| Andy Murray | 41 | 41 | |
| Max Purcell | 43 | 43 | |
| Alexei Popyrin | 45 | 45 | |
| Yoshihito Nishioka | 46 | 46 | |
| Daniel Altmaier | 49 | 49 | |
| Aleksandar Vukic | 50 | 50 | |
| Diego Schwartzman | 136 | 136 | |
| Milos Raonic | 322 | 33 (PR) | |
| Kei Nishikori | 350 | 48 (PR) | |
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