Top seed Race Imboden of the United States will meet Dutch opposition in his opening match in the FIE Tokyo test event tomorrow ©Getty Images

While the 16 top-ranked fencers enjoyed extra time to practise or relax, the rest of the field of 208 underwent the opening rounds of qualification at the International Fencing Federation Men's Foil World Cup in Tokyo - which doubles as an Olympic Games test event.

Twenty-eight pools of seven conducted the first round in the venue that will host fencing next year, the Makuhari Messe from July 25 to August 2.

Daniel Giacon of The Netherlands is ranked 64th and came through two rounds to earn a meeting with the top seed, Rio 2016 bronze medallist Race Imboden of the United States, for a place in the last 32.

At the other end of the draw, the first opponent for Italy's world number one and second seed Alessandro Foconi will be South Korea's 63rd seed Son Young Ki.

Italy's Rio 2016 champion Daniele Garozzo will face French opposition in his opening match tomorrow at the FIE Men's Foil World Cup in Tokyo, which is doubling as an Olympic Test event ©Getty Images
Italy's Rio 2016 champion Daniele Garozzo will face French opposition in his opening match tomorrow at the FIE Men's Foil World Cup in Tokyo, which is doubling as an Olympic Test event ©Getty Images

Italy will be strongly fancied to dominate once the big names get involved tomorrow, given the presence of Foconi and Rio 2016 champion Daniele Garozzo, seeded three, who will meet France's 62nd seed Meddy Elice.

Among the French representatives will be world number five Enzo Lefort and his colleague Erwann Le Pechoux, ranked nine.

Russia include three fencers from the top 20, including 14th-ranked Alexey Cheremisinov and 15th-ranked Timur Safin.

Hong Kong's sixth-ranked Ka Long Cheung is also on the start list.

Japan has entered a tranche of 30 fencers, with the top-ranked being Takahiro Shikine, who is 20th.