Nicolas Almagro exits Japan Open

World number 10 Nicolas Almagro has been knocked out of the Japan by Tatsuma Ito this afternoon.

Ito, playing in front of a home crowd, matched his Spanish opponent stroke for stroke during the opening set, which headed into a tie-break as a result.

Twenty-four-year-old Ito claimed the initiative early with a mini-break and he pressed home that advantage to take the opening set 7-4 in the breaker.

The second set also went to a breaker, which world number 75 Ito won again 7-5 to take the match.

He will now face Russia's Dmitry Tursunov for a place in round three.