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“I don’t know what happened in the first set,” Carlos Alcaraz said after reaching the final, describing a recurring struggle to find his footing in early sets. I have the feeling I am suffering at every first set,
he added, noting that he had won the opening set of each of his first three matches in the Japanese capital via a tiebreak before adding, But I am very happy with the way I come back into the match every time.
Carlos Alcaraz defeated Jiri Lehecka 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 on Tuesday to defend his title at the ATP 500 de Tokyo. Playing in just his second tournament since returning from a four-and-a-half-month absence due to a right wrist injury, the Spanish world number three claimed his 27th career title and his third trophy of the season in a match lasting a little over an hour and a half.
Defending the Crown in Tokyo After a Long Injury Layoff
The victory marks Alcaraz’s first title since February, following previous tournament wins at the Australian Open against Novak Djokovic and in Doha against Arthur Fils in February. His path back to the winner’s circle required recovery after he sustained a right wrist injury the week after his April defeat to Jannik Sinner in the Monte-Carlo Masters final.
After missing more than four months, Alcaraz made his competitive return at the US Open in late August, where he reached the quarterfinals before losing to Ben Shelton in a match that ended at 3:33 a.m. He then traveled to the Laver Cup, helping Team Europe secure the event before arriving in Tokyo with a compression sleeve on his right arm.
By successfully defending his title at the ATP 500 event, Alcaraz joined Stefan Edberg and Pete Sampras as the third player to secure back-to-back championships in the Japanese capital. The triumph also moved him past a resilient draw, though his early-match vulnerabilities persisted throughout the week.
Alcaraz Recovers from Rocky Starts to Win in Tokyo
Alcaraz’s week in Tokyo featured several rocky starts, including a dramatic semifinal against fellow Spaniard Jaume Munar. In that match, Alcaraz served for the first set at 5-4 before dropping three consecutive games and losing the frame, concluding it with two double faults. He eventually rebounded to win 5-7, 6-3, 6-1, noting after the match that he felt as though he was “suffering at every first set.”
The final against 19th-ranked Jiri Lehecka followed a similar pattern. He recovered the break to level at 3-3 before a tense tiebreak, where he fell behind 4-2. Regaining his rhythm, Alcaraz swept five consecutive points to claim the opening set, highlighted by a difficult return at his feet following a net cord, a powerful forehand, and a delicate drop shot.
In the second set, Alcaraz broke Lehecka’s serve in the seventh game (4-3) and held firm to secure the championship on his first match point. Lehecka entered the final on a six-match winning streak, which included two singles victories in the Davis Cup quarterfinals against the United States and four straight wins in Tokyo.
Standings Implications and the Rest of the Season
With Jannik Sinner sidelined for the remainder of the season, Alexander Zverev is positioned to claim the top spot in the ATP rankings. However, Alcaraz’s successful run in Tokyo serves notice to his competitors that he remains a primary contender heading into the final stretch of the tennis calendar.
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