Canada’s Milos Raonic and Denis Shapovalov win first-round matches at Japan Open

TOKYO – Canadians Milos Raonic and Denis Shapovalov posted first-round victories Monday at the Japan Open.

The sixth-seeded Raonic, from Thornhill, Ont., posted a 6-3, 6-4 win over Adrian Mannarino of France while Shapovalov, from Richmond Hill, Ont., topped seventh-seeded South Korean Chung Hyeon 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.

Mannarino was the runner-up last year, losing the final to David Goffin.

Two-time champion Kei Nishikori also advanced to the second round. The third seed beat Japanese wild-card entry Yuichi Sugita 6-4, 6-1.

Raonic will next face Japan’s Yosuke Watanuki, a 6-7 (7), 6-4, 6-1 winner over Robin Haase of the Netherlands. Shapovalov will take on either Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka or American Taylor Fritz.

Raonic holds the No. 20 position in the world rankings while Shapovalov is at No. 31.