A qualifying 1st-round match at the Japan Open pits Aleksandar Kovacevic against Zachary Svajda on Indoor Court 1 in Tokyo. Both players enter the ATP event through the qualifying draw, each seeking a win that advances them into the main draw. Scheduled for Sunday night Eastern time, the match is the opening step of the tournament for both Americans, with defeat eliminating their campaign and progression moving them into the main draw bracket. The indoor court assignment removes weather variables, meaning the opening points will determine the early course of the contest.