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Torrential rain washed out most first-round matches at the $969,000 Japan Open, but did little to dampen the spirits of local teenager Ayumi Morita.

The world number 136 beat 53rd-ranked Marina Erakovic of New Zealand 6-1 6-4 after the roof was closed over centre court as the downpours worsened in Tokyo. "She made a lot of mistakes," said 18-year-old Morita, who also beat Erakovic in the first round of last month's Beijing Olympics.

"It feels good to get my first career win at the Japan Open."

World number five David Ferrer of Spain, the Tokyo title holder, heads the $794,000 men's draw, along with American number eight Andy Roddick and 11th-ranked Fernando Gonzalez of Chile.

Former US Open champion Roddick won the China Open at the weekend while France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, this year's Australian Open runner-up, won his maiden tour title in Bangkok.

Japan's top player, 18-year-old Kei Nishikori, who in February became the first player from his country to win a tour title in 16 years, meets American Robert Kendrick on Tuesday.

The top men's players will be given an extra day off as organisers opted to try and clear the backlog of matches due to Monday's rain.

Former Japanese number one Takao Suzuki, who pushed Roger Federer to the brink of a shock elimination in 2006, beat Yuichi Sugita 6-3 7-6 while South Korea's Lee Hyung-taik overpowered Japan's Satoshi Iwabuchi 6-1 6-4.

In other women's matches completed, fifth-seeded Estonian Kaia Kanepi beat Czech Lucie Safarova 4-6 6-3 6-4 while Poland's Marta Domachowska ousted Japan's Ai Nakamura 6-4 7-5.

Reuters