Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the semifinals of the Tokyo tournament, reaching the final four of an ATP event for the first time since April following Denis Shapovalov’s retirement due to a leg injury with the score at 7-6, 2-1. The world number three capitalized on the Canadian’s physical withdrawal after more than an hour of intense opening-set action, securing his seventh victory on Japanese soil. This is, moreover, the eighth victory for the Spaniard since he returned from a right wrist injury at the past US Open, allowing him to reach the semifinals of a tournament for the first time since he did so at the Monte-Carlo Masters at the beginning of April.
Tokio Opening Set Decided in Tiebreak
The quarterfinal clash began with Shapovalov applying heavy pressure, breaking Alcaraz and taking a 2-4 lead in the first set. According to elcorreo.com, the Spaniard faced a set point at 4-5 on his own serve before neutralizing the threat and breaking back. Shapovalov immediately responded with a blank break to force a tiebreak, but Alcaraz dominated the subsequent scramble 7-1 to claim the opening frame after a taxing physical battle lasting over an hour. This occurred against Alex Michelsen in the first round, against Matteo Arnaldi in the second, and against Shapovalov in the third.
Leg Injury Forces Shapovalov Retirement
The physical toll of the grueling first set surfaced immediately in the second frame. Laverdad.es noted that Shapovalov called for medical attention in the opening game of the second set after feeling discomfort in his leg. The Canadian attempted to continue but managed only two more games before conceding defeat at 7-6, 2-1 when he was unable to chase down a forehand winner from Alcaraz.
Reaching Semifinals After Six-Month Absence
This result marks Alcaraz’s return to the semifinal stage of a tournament for the first time since April, when he reached the final four at the Monte-Carlo Masters. Elcorreo.com reported that the Spanish star spent more than four of the intervening six months sidelined due to injuries, including a right wrist issue that kept him out until the recent US Open. Alcaraz now stands two wins away from capturing his 27th career title and his third trophy of the 2026 season.
Upcoming Semifinal Match Against Jaume Munar
Alcaraz will face qualifier Jaume Munar in the semifinal round in Tokyo. Laverdad.es detailed that Munar reached his ninth career ATP semifinal by defeating Marcos Giron, Aleksandar Kovacevic, Taylor Fritz, Jaime Faria, and Kyrian Jacquet this week. Their head-to-head history includes four prior tour-level meetings, with Alcaraz winning their most recent encounters in Rio de Janeiro and Barcelona in 2022, as well as Queen’s Club in 2025, following Munar’s victory in Marbella in 2021. With these semifinals, furthermore, Alcaraz extends his lead over Ben Shelton to 580 points in the battle for the third spot in the rankings, while Munar has jumped fifteen places in the ranking and at the end of Tokyo will be, at a minimum, number 49.
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