Japan Open: Stan Wawrinka downs Radek Stepanek, storms into round 2

Tokyo: French Open winner Stan Wawrinka secured his second-round spot at the Japan Open by beating Czech veteran Radek Stepanek in straight sets on Tuesday, avoiding a repeat of last year's shock exit.

The top-seeded Wawrinka crashed out to local wildcard Tatsuma Ito in the first round in 2014, and the Swiss will face Ito again in the second round after overpowering Stepanek 7-5, 6-3.

The unseeded Gilles Muller, of Luxembourg, pulled off a shock on the outside courts, defeating fifth-seeded Kevin Anderson, of South Africa, 6-2, 6-3.

Wawrinka looked fully recovered from the ankle injury that forced last month's withdrawal from a tournament in Metz, France, and bounced out to a 4-1 lead.

The 36-year-old Stepanek, the oldest player in the singles draw, took advantage of a double fault and two careless errors to break back and get back on serve, only for a double fault of his own to hand the first set to Wawrinka.

The Swiss didn't look back, breaking the 121st-ranked Stepanek at the first opportunity in the second set and ending the match as he started it, with an ace, to wrap up the win in 77 minutes.

The fourth-ranked Wawrinka, seeking his fourth title of the year after winning in Paris, Rotterdam and Chennai, said he was feeling better than at this time last year, and was confident of gaining revenge on Ito.

"Last year I was struggling a little bit to find my best level after the U.S. Open. This year, I feel quite fresh," said Wawrinka, wearing a "Stan The Man" T-shirt.

"I remember the match with Ito well. Now I know how he plays. I will only try to play my game well in general — being aggressive, serving well — and then the solution will come."

Muller provided the surprise result by eliminating Anderson, who reached the last eight of the U.S. Open last month, defeating third-ranked Andy Murray along the way.

Muller will play Jeremy Chardy in the second round, after the Frenchman's opponent, Sam Groth, of Australia, retired with a foot injury when trailing 6-3, 2-0.

Benoit Paire knocked out eighth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov, of Bulgaria, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1. He will next face Marcos Baghdatis, who defeated Fernando Verdasco 7-5, 6-1.

Third-seeded Gilles Simon booked a second-round date with Jiri Vesely, of the Czech Republic, after defeating Russian qualifier Mikhail Youzhny 6-4, 6-4.