Japan Open - Osaka

A WTA 250 on outdoor hard in Osaka, inside the crowded Asian swing with Ningbo and Tokyo. The DecoTurf measures much faster than these players are used to, but the serve does not take over: holds sit at 68%, aces are scarce and tiebreaks decide barely one set in eight. Returners have the better of it. Most matches still end in straights. Fernandez and Krueger have each won it.