Rain postpones Stefanos Tsitsipas opener against Tomás Etcheverry at Japan Open

Torrential rain halts Japan Open in Tokyo

Continuous and heavy rainfall in Tokyo forced tournament organizers to halt the opening-round schedule at the Japan Open on Wednesday, 30 September 2026. The ATP 500 tournament encountered widespread weather disruption as downpours persisted across the Japanese capital for multiple hours throughout the morning. Outdoor court surfaces at the venue became unplayable under the volume of water, preventing grounds crews from preparing the courts for match action. Organizers initially responded by announcing rolling temporary delays, keeping players and staff on site in anticipation of a possible improvement in conditions. As the severe weather showed no signs of clearing into the late morning, officials decided that no matches could safely take place on outdoor courts. The tournament organization subsequently issued a definitive cancellation of the entire Wednesday schedule, shifting unplayed opening-round matches to the following day.

Rolling schedule delays for Tsitsipas and Etcheverry

The first-round match between Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas and Argentina's Tomás Martín Etcheverry stood among the scheduled fixtures delayed and eventually cancelled by the weather. The encounter was originally scheduled to begin at 06:30 Greek time, with tournament listings also referencing an anticipated start around 07:00 Greek time. With downpours continuing across Tokyo during the early morning hours, tournament officials issued an initial postponement, adjusting the start time to 08:30 Greek time. Persistent rain over the venue prevented any on-court preparation, leading to a second postponement that pushed the match start back to 11:00 Greek time. After several successive delays left no opportunity to begin play, tournament organizers confirmed the definitive postponement of the fixture for the remainder of Wednesday.

First-round ranking positions and matchup

The delayed fixture pairs world number 44 Stefanos Tsitsipas against world number 30 Tomás Martín Etcheverry in the ATP 500 singles draw. Tsitsipas entered the Japan Open aiming to open his campaign in Tokyo, competing as Greece's leading player on the ATP Tour. Etcheverry entered the Tokyo tournament positioned fourteen places higher in the world rankings at number 30. The matchup marks the opening round for both athletes, who spent several hours on Wednesday awaiting updates from tournament management regarding court readiness. The cancellation of Wednesday's competitive program leaves both competitors waiting to make their tournament debuts in Tokyo.

Rescheduled timetable for Thursday

Following the definitive cancellation of Wednesday's matches, tournament officials rescheduled the clash between Tsitsipas and Etcheverry for Thursday, 1 October 2026. Under the revised order of play, the contest is scheduled to take place during the dawn hours in Greece, with play set to begin no earlier than 06:30 Greek time. The completion of the rescheduled fixture remains subject to weather conditions in Tokyo improving sufficiently to allow outdoor play. Tournament officials and grounds maintenance crews must inspect and dry court surfaces ahead of Thursday's morning session before competitors take to the court. The delayed encounter will serve as the tournament premiere for both players as organizers attempt to catch up on the ATP 500 schedule.