Alcaraz defended his Tokyo crown despite the wrist injury. In the final, he beat Jiri Lehecka 7-6(4), 6-4 in a match lasting 1 hour and 36 minutes. He retains the title a year after winning it and becomes the third player to repeat as champion in Tokyo.
The victory also puts him alongside Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in an exclusive group. He is the fourth professional player to reach 10 titles at 500-level tournaments since their introduction in 2009.
Alcaraz had to recover from an early deficit in the final. Lehecka moved 0-2 ahead after an opening break, but Alcaraz mounted another comeback on the centre court at Ariake Coliseum. Lehecka then overhit several shots and missed, failing to trouble his opponent even during his strongest spells.
The title also overshadows a less flattering figure from the week: Alcaraz was broken 13 times across his five matches in Tokyo. He remains short of Djokovic’s 34 victories in Beijing.
TennisAryna Sabalenka was knocked out of the China Open in the third round, losing to Nikola Bartunkova in straight sets. Her defeat came just over twelve hours after Elena Rybakina’s, leaving the tournament without its two leading favourites.
TennisAfter reaching the semifinals, Carlos Alcaraz wrote “Get well soon, Denis” on the tournament camera. Shapovalov had retired after earning a set point at 5-4.
TennisAhead of the Rafa Nadal Academy Slam, held in Manacor to mark the academy’s 10th anniversary, Nadal says competition is not his aim. “0% of the competitive Rafa Nadal is coming out today,” he said.
TennisCarlos Alcaraz will face Denis Shapovalov in the Tokyo quarter-finals on Sunday, October 4. The match is scheduled for the central court at Ariake Coliseum at around 6 a.m. in Spain, and will be shown there on Movistar+.
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