Tennis

Japan Open Doubles 2023: Contenders, odds, and predictions

The 2023 Japan Open doubles tournament has officially arrived. Over the coming week, some of the top doubles players in the world will compete for this ATP 500 title. This includes both of the finalists from the 2023 Shanghai Masters doubles event – so the field is pretty strong, as you can no doubt imagine.

Japan Open Doubles

As for what’s covered here, my goal is to supply you with daily Japan Open doubles predictions, schedule updates, match reports, and more. In doing so, I can guarantee that you will stay on top of all of the key details surrounding the Japan Open doubles tournament from day one until the very end. 

At the same time, I’ve provided a breakdown of the draw, which pairings you should keep an eye on, as well as which pairings have the best shot of winning the event. So – are you interested in all that you need to know about the 2023 Japan Open doubles event? Dive into the key details below.

2023 Japan Open doubles updates – day 8 review and a look ahead to the final on day 9

The Japan Open doubles competition is almost over. As I produce this update, there is just one match left to be played – the final. This will be played tomorrow, also known as day 9, and it is the first match scheduled on Colosseum. For those of you who are interested, this match is then followed by the men’s singles final. So if you can tune in from 06:00 for the men’s doubles final on Sunday, you may as well hang around to watch the singles final! However, that’s totally your choice. 

As for what went down on day 8 in the Japan Open doubles event, the last of two semi-finals was played. This match was played earlier this morning, and boy, was it an entertaining affair! In a match that lasted close to 1 hour and 45 minutes, it was ultimately the duo of Murray/Venus who pulled through to compete in the finals tomorrow. Let me give you the exact result now before we continue:

  • Murray/Venus beat Lammons/Withrow – 7-6 2-6 14-12

As this scoreline confirms, this match was an insanely tight contest. And while it may have taken a number of match points to get the job done, Murray/Venus finally pulled through by just a two point margin in the third-set breaker. In defeating the American duo, they have now confirmed a clash with Hijikata/Purcell on day 9. Interestingly, both Murray and Purcell have won Wimbledon (doubles) in the past, so the stage is set for a thrilling final if both pairs bring their A-game.

Japan Open doubles prediction for the championship match

Finally – it’s time for the last Japan Open doubles prediction of the 2023 tournament. As stated above, the pairs involved in the final for day 9 are Murray/Venus and Hijikata/Purcell. This should be a pretty close match on paper, and I say this because both of these pairs are not seeded in the tournament. So, in theory, they shouldn’t have reached the final to begin with. But they’ve both fought hard and earned their spot for a chance to lift the trophy tomorrow, and here’s how I think this game will go:

  • Hijikata/Purcell to beat Murray/Venus – TBD Odds

If you look back through the three matches each pair has played this week, they’ve had an equal passage to the finals in terms of difficulty, in my opinion. Hijikata/Purcell beat one lucky loser, one wildcard, and then the 3rd seeds to reach the final. However, Murray/Venus beat a lucky loser, the 4th seeds, and then the unseeded Americans to seal their spot in the finals. So for me, it then boils down to who has been the more convincing during the Japan Open doubles event, and for me, the answer is Hijikata/Purcell.

Day 7 recap and day 8 Japan Open doubles predictions – Friday, October 20th updates

There may not have been a whole load of action taking place today in the Japan Open doubles tournament, but that doesn’t mean things were disappointing. On the contrary, the single semi-final doubles match that was played was highly entertaining. And following the outcome of that game, the first of our two finalists are now locked and loaded, ready to take on whoever stands in their way on Sunday, October 22nd. But before we get to that, it’s important to look at the single result from this morning.

At the same time, I’ve put together my Japan Open doubles prediction for the second semi-final match, which is scheduled to be played tomorrow. So let’s dive right into things now. 

Japan Open doubles results on day 7

As referenced above, day 7 was not overloaded with doubles matches. Then again, we are very much at the business end of the tournament, so it’s perfectly normal for fewer and fewer matches to be played as we approach the end. Regardless, the semi-final contest, which was played today, turned out to be a three-set thriller. And if you didn’t see the match, or you didn’t know who was competing for a place in the final, let me give you the result before moving forward:

  • Hijikata/Purcell beat Arevalo/Rojer – 3-6 6-3 10-4

As displayed by this result, it was the Australian pair that managed to upset the number three seeds in the Japan Open doubles semi-final today. They dropped the first set but managed to fight back and land a straightforward second-set victory before going on to capture the championship tie-break 10-4. This is the second match of the tournament where Hijikata/Purcell has pulled it out of the bag in a third-set breaker. 

Now, they are set to face the winner of Murray/Venus vs Lammons/Withrow – a game that will take place tomorrow morning (Saturday, October 21st).

Japan Open doubles predictions for day 8

Looking ahead to the schedule for day 8 at the Japan Open, the men’s doubles semi-final is set to be the last match on Colosseum. This means that there are two matches scheduled prior to this semi-final, which of course, you can tune in for if you wish. However, concerning the players involved in this match and which way it could swing, I’ve given my prediction for the outcome below: 

  • Murray/Venus to beat Lammons/Withrow – 3/4 Odds

Murray/Venus have won back-to-back matches in a third-set tie-break. Yet since they defeated the number 4 seeds in the last round, they’ve shown enough to justify backing them in this contest. Adding to that, Lammons/Withrow have beaten a wildcard followed by a lucky loser pair to reach the semi-finals. Therefore, I don’t expect them to be as sharp as Murray/Venus, and I don’t believe that they can reach the same level as Murray/Venus if both pairs hit their stride tomorrow.

Day 6 – Japan Open doubles results with predictions for day 7

The quarter-finals have officially finished. After four key matches were played and completed on day 6, our attention now turns to day 7 – where the first of two semi-final matches will be played. Yet did the results of the Japan Open doubles event go as expected on day 6? Or are the semi-finals loaded with surprise players? Let me give you the updates now.

Results from day six in the Japan Open doubles tournament

All four quarter-finals have been played and completed on day six. Of course, this means that we know who is due to face off in the semi-finals of the 2023 Japan Open doubles tournament. On that note, one of these semi-finals will be played on Friday, October 20th, while the other will be played on Saturday, October 21st. I’ve supplied my Japan Open doubles predictions for the semi-final that is scheduled for tomorrow in the next section for those who are interested.

As for the results that came through on day six of the Japan Open doubles event, all four results are listed here:

  • Arevalo/Rojer beat McLachlan/Nishioka – 6-3 7-6
  • Murray/Venus beat Gille/Vliegen – 4-6 7-5 10-5
  • Hijikata/Purcell beat Shimabukuro/Watanuki – 7-6 6-4
  • Lammons/Withrow beat Uchida/Uchiyama – 6-3 6-4

To be perfectly honest, none of these results are immensely shocking, besides the fact that Murray/Venus took out the 4th seeds, Gille/Vliegen. I must admit, I didn’t think Murray/Venus could pull this off, given their average performance in the opening round. Yet they stepped it up and played well to grab the win in the third-set breaker. As for the other results, both the Japanese wildcards and lucky losers were beaten in the quarter-finals by Hijikata/Purcell and Lammons/Withrow, respectively.

Even the sole Japanese duo that was in the main draw on merit was taken out by Arevalo/Rojer in straight sets. Therefore, it was a bit of a blood bath for Japanese players in the Japan Open doubles event today, unfortunately. 

Day 7 – Japan Open doubles predictions

As mentioned above, there is just one match scheduled for day 7 in the men’s doubles event. This match sees the 3rd seeds, Arevalo/Rojer, taking on the unseeded Aussies, Hijikata/Purcell. And concerning my prediction for the match, here we go:

  • Hijikata/Purcell to beat Arevalo/Rojer – TBD Odds

The number three seeds have been clinical so far, reaching the semi-finals without losing a set. In contrast, the Aussies needed a third-set breaker to get past a pair of lucky losers in the opening round, yet they did win in straights today. This might suggest that Arevalo/Rojer is the safer bet, but I am going for the upset for a couple of reasons. 

Firstly, Hijikata had an incredible run at the Shanghai Masters last week with his partner, Cam Norrie, reaching the semis of that tournament. Secondly, Purcell has won the men’s doubles at Wimbledon before, so they both have serious pedigree in doubles.

Day 5 – recap of Japan Open doubles results and a look ahead to day 6

What a day it was at the Japan Open today. Close contests and high-level tennis treated fans in all competitions. But specifically, for the Japan Open doubles event, the five results today have set the stage for four thrilling quarter-finals – all of which are coming up tomorrow. So on that note, let me jump into a day five recap before turning the focus to my predictions for tomorrow’s matches.

Japan Open doubles scores from day 5

The schedule for the Japan Open doubles event was stacked on day five. This is mainly because a few matches had been pushed back following the withdrawals of the top two seeds. Anyway, the scheduled matches did not disappoint, and three of the five matches went to a championship tie-break to determine the winner. This meant three of the five matches were full of drama and excitement at the same time. As for the exact scores and who has made it through to the quarter-finals, let me share the Japan Open doubles results from day five now: 

  • Murray/Venus beat Watanabe/Yuzuki – 6-2 6-7 10-3
  • Hijikata/Purcell beat Mochizuki/Noguchi – 5-7 7-6 10-5
  • Uchida/Uchiyama beat Cerundolo/Etcheverry – 6-0 6-1
  • Arevalo/Rojer beat Erler/Miedler – 6-4 6-4
  • McLachlan/Nishioka beat Ichikawa/Imamura – 6-3 6-7 10-7

It goes without saying that the most shocking of these results is that the Argentinian duo managed to win just one game against the Japanese pair – who are only in the main draw as lucky losers. This was a huge surprise for me, yet I didn’t expect Murray/Venus to struggle so much with the other lucky losers, Watanabe/Yuzuki, either. 

As an established and successful doubles pair, the fact that Murray/Venus needed a third-set tie-break to take them out isn’t something that most punters would have anticipated. And they will certainly need to raise their game if they are to pose any threat to the 4th seeds in the next round. Incidentally, this brings me to my Japan Open doubles predictions for day six.

Day 6 – Japan Open doubles predictions

All of the quarter-finals of the 2023 Japan Open doubles event are set to be played on day six. Of course, this refers to Thursday, October 19th, and the first of these doubles games will likely commence at any point from 04:30 onwards. Most of them are scheduled for the Kinoshita Group Arena too, so you can track the bulk of the matches on that court if desired. As for my Japan Open doubles predictions, only two of the matches have any value in the betting markets, in my opinion. 

Nevertheless, I’ve shared my predictions for two selected matches here:

  • Gille/Vliegen to beat Murray/Venus – 5/4 Odds
  • Hijikata/Purcell to beat Shimabukuro/Watanuki – 3/10 Odds

I believe that the 5/4 odds on Gille/Vliegen to beat Murray/Venus are spectacular. The 4th seeds were extremely solid to beat Erler/Miedler in their first match, and as referenced above, Murray/Venus went the distance with a lucky loser duo. As for Hijikata/Purcell, the 3/10 odds aren’t amazing, yet they have a very good shot of taking out Shimabukuro/Watanuki. I say that because Shimabukuro/Watanuki are Japanese wildcards, so they’re in the main draw due to a golden ticket, issued by the organizers.

Day 4 – Japan Open doubles scores & day 5 predictions

Following the withdrawal of the two top seeds in the Japan Open doubles event, the schedule for day four received a bit of a blow. Both of the top seeds were scheduled to play on day four, yet their withdrawal completely changed the lineup for Monday, October 16th. In case you missed the news, the withdrawal of these pairs resulted in two wildcards jumping in at the last minute. Yet since this really was at the last minute, the schedule changed to allow the Japanese wildcards to start the event on day five – Wednesday, October 18th. As for the knock-on effect, it’s pretty good from a betting perspective.

I say that because it means that I can introduce a bunch of Japan Open doubles predictions for day five, as I’ve outlined below. And since there was just one result from day 4, there is no need to spend too long reporting on what went down. Here is the single result from day 4, in case you missed it:

  • Gille/Vliegen beat McDonald/Melo – 7-5 7-6

This result comes from the opening match for the winners in the top half of the draw. Following this victory, they are now set to face the winners of Popyrin/Vukic vs Murray/Venus, which is scheduled to be played tomorrow morning. Anyway, that’s all I have to report on from day four.

So let me now take the opportunity to discuss my Japan Open doubles tips and predictions for day five.

Japan Open doubles predictions for day five

If you look at the schedule for day five with regard to the doubles tournament, there are five matches due to be played. And the range of players could not be more extreme, with wildcards, lucky losers, qualifiers, and seeds all scheduled to play. However, since there are a few mismatches in terms of standards and expectations, there are only a couple of matches worth betting on, in my opinion. So on that note, let me reveal my two Japan Open doubles predictions for day five right now:

  • Cerundolo/Etcheverry to beat Uchida/Uchiyama – 19/20 Odds
  • Arevalo/Rojer to beat Erler/Miedler – 7/10 Odds

Cerundolo/Etcheverry must be thanking their lucky stars that the top seeds, Bopanna/Ebden, withdrew from the event. This has taken them from facing the 1st seeds to now clashing with Uchida/Uchiyama, one of two Japanese lucky losers. Of course, this means that they didn’t technically make it through qualifying, which is why I think the Argentinians will win. 

As for my second prediction, Arevalo/Rojer are the number 3 seeds. These guys won the 2023 French Open in the summer months, and they have several other titles between them. Therefore, they are definitely one of the strongest pairs in the draw, and I feel they should beat Erler/Miedler. Furthermore, the odds of 7/10 for the number 3 seeds in the opening round are highly enticing.

Day 3 – Japan Open doubles results and day four predictions

Today marks the opening day of the Japan Open doubles tournament. However, there aren’t an awful lot of matches to report on following this first day of play. That’s because just two main draw matches were played and completed on Monday, October 16th, in the 2023 Japan Open doubles tournament. Then again, it’s normal for an ATP 500 event to get off to a bit of a slow burner in these opening days. This comes down to the draw size mainly, and let’s not forget that there is an entire week ahead for all of these rounds to be completed.

Anyway, since this is the first of my daily updates for the 2023 Japan Open doubles tournament, I should probably let you know what lies ahead. In the respective sections below, I have shared the details of the results that came through on day three. Of course, these results have an impact on the next rounds of the event. In addition, since there will be doubles matches taking place every day this week, I have shared my Japan Open doubles predictions for you to check out as well.

It’s totally optional whether you decide to wager on these predictions or not. But with that said, I can assure you that the predictions have been well-researched and that the respective Japan Open doubles odds make the markets worthwhile. 

Japan Open doubles results – day 3

Interestingly, both of the Japanese wildcards were involved in the opening two matches on day three. For one pair, it was a successful beginning to the tournament. Yet for the other, they have made an immediate exit from the event, unfortunately. As for the specific results from these doubles matches, let me give you the scores right now:

  • Lammons/Withrow beat Matsui/Uesugi – 7-6 3-6 10-7
  • Shimabukuro/Watanuki beat Mektic/Peers – 6-4 6-2

As you can see, it was the American duo of Lammons/Withrow who took out Matsui/Uesugi in a championship tie-break. But the other Japanese wildcards, Shimabukuro/Watanuki, put in a strong performance to beat Mektic/Peers in straight sets. Amazingly, both of these pairs who won today could now face a set of Japanese lucky losers, and that’s because the 1st and 2nd seeds withdrew from the tournament overnight. 

Day 4 – Japan Open doubles predictions

For day four, there are just two doubles matches set to be played. One of these involves the 4th seeds, while the other involves the sole Japanese qualifiers for this tournament. As for my predictions, here they are:

  • Gille/Vliegen to beat McDonald/Melo – 10/11 Odds
  • McLachlan/Nishioka to beat Ichikawa/Imamura – 2/9 Odds

With Gille/Vliegen being the number 4 seeds, the 10/11 odds on them winning their opening match is pretty enticing. As for McLachlan/Nishioka to beat the qualifiers, not only are the qualifiers much lower than the other two in rankings, but Nishioka will be gunning for success after losing in the first round of the singles tournament.

Japan Open doubles 2023 – event schedule and draw information

For those of you who are interested, I’ve discussed the entire Japan Open schedule on a separate page. This covers the schedule for both the doubles and singles events, combined with what to expect for each day of the tournament. But since you’re here, I can tell you right now that the 2023 Japan Open doubles tournament will run from Monday, October 16th to Sunday, October 22nd. This week-long schedule is typical for an ATP 500 tournament. 

Furthermore, because of the structure of the tournament, there will be several great matches on the cards for each day of play. After all, with the top Japan Open seeds set to open their campaigns from day one, this means that at least some of the top contenders will be competing every single day. This brings me to the draw for the Japan Open doubles tournament.

Specifically, this ATP 500 tournament consists of 16 teams, subsequently making it a 32-player draw size. As a result, the tournament winners must make their way through four rounds, which will be spread throughout the week. And it’s not just seeded players who you should be watching. There are also qualifiers and wildcards to monitor too. 

So all in all, we’ve got plenty to keep us entertained throughout this event.

Top contenders for the 2023 Japan Open doubles event

Realistically, because of the results that we witnessed at the Shanghai Masters last week, the potential winners for this event boil down to two pairs. But in the interest of avoiding any bias, let me at least list the top four seeds before sharing my predictions:

  • Bopanna/Ebden – Seed One
  • Granollers/Zeballos – Seed Two
  • Arevalo/Rojer – Seed Three
  • Gille/Vliegen – Seed Four

Given the size of the Japan Open doubles draw, there are just four seeds – all of whom will start in the first round since there have been no ‘byes’ given. Of course, these seeded players are the main favorites to win the tournament, and it’s tough to argue against any of them due to their rankings and results in 2023. However, you’ve got a few dark horses thrown into the mix too.

I believe that duos like Hijikata/Purcell, McDonald/Melo, Murray/Venus, and Mektic/Peers are all dangerous pairings that could cause some upsets. 

Japan Open doubles prediction for outright winners

Given that the Japan Open doubles odds have only recently been published for the opening rounds, punters are still performing their research to come up with outright predictions. With that said, although the odds are still being calculated for the outright markets, we can still analyze the top candidates for the title while explaining why. On that note, I’d like to give a Japan Open doubles prediction for the most likely winners now:

  • Granollers/Zeballos to win the title – Odds TBD

If you followed the Shanghai Masters tournament last week, the names I’ve given here will be familiar. This Spanish/Argentinian duo won the 1000-level event last week, beating Bopanna/Ebden in the finals, and these guys are the top seeds for the Japan Open doubles tournament as things stand. Not only that, but they only lost one set all tournament, which came in the final. So, for me, they have to be the number one choice for this tournament.


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