World number one men's tennis player Lleyton Hewitt of Australia has scored an easy win over American Michael Chang to reach the third round of the Japan Open tennis tournament in Tokyo.
Hewitt, the top seed, beat the former French Open champion in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2. The rest of the seeds in action on the men's side did not fare as well, with five of the six seeded players losing.
Third seed Carlos Moya of Spain lost in straight sets to Alexander Waske of Germany, 6-4, 7-5. Fourth seeded Alex Corretja of Spain fell in three sets to Karol Kucera of the Czech Republic, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6. Seventh-seeded Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador lost to Sweden's Magnus Larsson in straight sets 7-5, 6-2.
Number-12 seed Agustin Calleri of Argentina fell in straight sets to Jerome Golmard of France, 6-3, 6-2. Thirteenth-seeded Wayne Arthurs of Australia lost in straight sets to Anthony DuPuis of France, 7-6, 7-6. Only 14th-seeded Nicolas Massu of Chile escaped with a victory, beating American Jeff Morrison in three sets 7-6, 4-6, 6-1.
The players had to play two matches Wednesday because heavy rains due to a typhoon that struck Japan delayed earlier play.
In women's play, third seed Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario of Spain scored a straight set win over Maria Kirilenko of Russia, 6-3, 6-2. Fourth-seeded Emmanuelle Gagliardi of Switzerland ousted Maria Sharapova of Russia in three sets 2-6, 7-6, 6-4.
Fifth-seeded Cara Black of Zimbabwe lost in straight sets to Japan's Yuka Yoshida 6-2, 6-1. Sixth-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia scored a straight-set win over Virginie Razzano of France, 7-5, 6-2.
Seventh-seed Virginia Ruano-Pascual of Spain defeated Kim Jin-hee of South Korea in straight sets 6-0, 6-1. Number-eight seed Jelena Kostanic of Croatia ousted Saori Obata of Japan in straight sets 6-4, 7-6.