Carlos Alcaraz secured a hard-fought 7-6 (7-1), 4-6, 6-1 victory over American Alex Michelsen in his opening match at the ATP 500 tournament in Tokyo on Thursday, winning a demanding two-and-a-half-hour contest on outdoor hard courts. The Spanish top seed, defending the title he won last year, faced three set points in the opening set before mounting a decisive third-set surge, according to reports from sports news outlets covering the tournament.
Alcaraz Survives Michelsen Test in Three Sets
The opening round at the Ariake Colosseum presented immediate difficulties for Alcaraz, who arrived in Tokyo directly from London following the Laver Cup. Michelsen, ranked 34th in the world and coming off a quarterfinal run at the US Open, pushed the defending champion to a first-set tiebreak after Alcaraz dropped behind 4-2. Alcaraz saved three set points on his serve during the opening frame before taking the tiebreak 7-1.
The second set saw Michelsen capitalize on Alcaraz’s service struggles, breaking multiple times to level the match. However, Alcaraz responded decisively in the third set, racing to a 5-0 lead in just 20 minutes before closing out the match. «Fue un partido muy bueno y muy intenso y estoy contento de haber logrado la victoria al final. Pero me siento un poco descontento con mi nivel, creo que podría ser mejor», admitted Alcaraz in post-match remarks reported by tournament correspondents.
Spaniards Experience Mixed Fortunes in Tokyo Openers
While Alcaraz advanced, fellow Spaniard Rafael Jódar suffered a straight-sets defeat to Paraguay’s Daniel Vallejo, losing 6-1, 6-3 in his opening encounter. Jódar, a 19-year-old ranked 13th who reached a career-high ranking near the top ten earlier in the season, struggled to find momentum in his debut at the event. The loss halted his recent progression after competing at the Laver Cup.
Alejandro Davidovich also exited the tournament on Thursday, falling to Italy’s Matteo Berrettini 6-1, 6-7 (1), 6-4. Davidovich was visibly fatigued following his title run at the Chengdu Open just days prior, a turnaround that left him short of energy against Berrettini. Meanwhile, Jaume Munar delivered a major upset by defeating third-seeded American Taylor Fritz 6-7 (7-9), 6-4, 6-3 after advancing through the qualifying rounds.
Alcaraz Faces Matteo Arnaldi in Second Round
Alcaraz advances to the second round to face Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi, who is ranked 37th and reached the Roland Garros semifinals in June. Previous encounters between Alcaraz and Arnaldi include meetings at the 2023 US Open and the 2024 Indian Wells tournament, both won by the Spaniard. The draw has seen several high-profile exits in Alcaraz’s half, including Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul, who lost to Alejandro Tabilo.
Elsewhere in the Tokyo draw, Danish player Holger Rune and Norwegian sixth seed Casper Ruud both suffered opening-round defeats, while Stefanos Tsitsipas advanced past Argentina’s Tomás Etcheverry in three sets, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. The tournament continues through the weekend, offering 500 ranking points and serving as a key stop on the autumn Asian tennis circuit.
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