Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the semifinals of the Tokyo tournament after Denis Shapovalov retired during the second set, marking the world number three’s first appearance in a tournament semifinal since Montecarlo. Alcaraz led 7-6, 2-1 when Shapovalov stopped playing due to physical trouble, sealing a hard-fought opening tiebreak that lasted over an hour and extending his winning streak in Japan to seven matches.
Six Months of Injury Recovery Precedes the Breakthrough in Tokyo
The journey back to the penultimate round required six months of rehabilitation, with Alcaraz spending more than four of those months sidelined by a right wrist injury. Since returning to competitive play at the US Open, the Spanish player has compiled seven consecutive victories. This run in Tokyo marks his first semifinal appearance since the Monte Carlo Masters in early April.
Shapovalov established a 2-4 lead early in the match, before Alcaraz leveled the score and saved a set point while serving at 4-5 down. Alcaraz then broke his opponent’s serve, only for the Canadian to immediately respond with a break to love, forcing a tiebreak.
In the tiebreak, Alcaraz dropped the first two points before securing seven of the next eight points to claim the set 7-6. In the very first game of the second set, the Canadian felt discomfort in his leg, called for medical attention, and attempted to continue before retiring two games later when he failed to chase down a crosscourt forehand.
Following the match, Alcaraz wrote «vuelve pronto, Shapo» on the camera lens. With the victory, the Spaniard sits two wins away from capturing the 27th singles title of his career and his third of the 2026 season.
Jaume Munar Awaits in the Semifinals Following a Surprise Run
In the next round, Alcaraz faces Jaume Munar, who entered the Tokyo tournament through the qualifying rounds and eliminated Marcos Giron, Aleksandar Kovacevic, Taylor Fritz, Jaime Faria, and Kyrian Jacquet. Munar reaches the ninth ATP semifinal of his career. Historical records show the two Spaniards have met four times previously on the professional tour, with Alcaraz winning their most recent encounters in Rio de Janeiro and Barcelona in 2022, as well as Queen’s Club in 2025. Munar’s sole victory against Alcaraz occurred at Marbella in 2021.
For Munar, who has never won an ATP tour title, the upcoming match presents a chance to secure his first career trophy. For Alcaraz, reaching the final would mark his first title match appearance since Doha in February.
In the ATP rankings race, Alcaraz extends his lead over Ben Shelton to 580 points in the battle for the third spot in the standings. Meanwhile, Munar’s surprise run in Tokyo guarantees a jump of at least fifteen spots in the rankings, placing him no lower than world number 49 at the conclusion of the tournament.
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