Japan Open Tennis Championships: Jiri Lehecka vs Zizou Bergs

Analysis

Jiri Lehecka led Zizou Bergs 6-3 in the first set when heavy rain suspended their Tokyo first-round match, according to reports. The second set had not started, and the match is reported as pushed to October 1. One set in hand in a best-of-three is a real head start. The pre-match case pointed the same way. Lehecka is ranked 23rd and Bergs 38th. Lehecka also carried the higher hard-court Elo rating, 1924 against 1797, and the better recent record, 7-3 against 5-5. The two have met once this season, and Lehecka won that Doha meeting in February. One result is thin evidence, but it fits the rest of the picture. The caveat is the stoppage itself. Reports say a second heavy shower caused further delays. A long break can reset momentum, and the score line on one listing shows the next game in progress at 0-0 in points, so Bergs still has room to recover. A single break of serve early in the second set would cut into Lehecka's cushion. The thing to watch is how Lehecka starts when play resumes. If he holds serve cleanly after the delay, the lead should hold. If Bergs breaks early, the match opens up again.