Carlos Alcaraz defeated Jiri Lehecka 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 on Tuesday to defend his title at the Tokyo ATP 500 tournament, securing his first trophy since returning from a four-month wrist injury layoff at the end of August. The former world number one has now defeated Lehecka four times in five meetings.
Defending the Tokyo Crown After a Slow Start
World number 3 Carlos Alcaraz overcame a sluggish opening against 19th-ranked Jiri Lehecka to claim his 27th career title in 1 hour and 36 minutes. The Spanish star dropped his serve immediately in the first set, falling behind 2-0 and 3-1 as the Czech player capitalized on an effective forehand. Alcaraz broke back to level at 3-3, relying on his trademark court coverage and delicate drop shots to neutralize his opponent. The two competitors played on equal terms at the start of the second set before Lehecka faltered during crucial moments, and Alcaraz broke him again at 4-3 in the second set before rolling through the remainder of the second set without trembling to close out the match.
Recovery and the Long Road Back to Trophies
The triumph marks Alcaraz’s first title since mid-February, when he defeated Frenchman Arthur Fils in the final of the ATP 500 tournament in Doha. Following a defeat to Jannik Sinner in the Monte-Carlo Masters in April, Alcaraz sustained a right wrist injury at the Barcelona tournament the following week, which kept him sidelined for more than four months. He returned to competition at the US Open, exiting in the quarterfinals against American Ben Shelton. I am very happy to lift another trophy, it was starting to feel like a long time,
Alcaraz said in his post-match interview, adding, This is the second tournament since my return from injury, winning it means enormously much. It has been difficult, I haven’t always played my best tennis but I have always managed to find the solution. Today I undoubtedly played my best match of the week.
The Spaniard was contesting his first final since April.
Dominance in ATP 500 Events and Historic Company
Tuesday’s victory extends Alcaraz’s winning streak in ATP 500 tournaments to 21 matches. He remains undefeated in Tokyo across his career appearances. By successfully defending his title in the Japanese capital, Alcaraz joins Stefan Edberg (1989-1991) and Pete Sampras (1993-1994) as only the third player to defend his title in the Japanese capital. The Spaniard now holds three titles on the season, adding Tokyo to his earlier victories at Doha and the Australian Open. Meanwhile, the 24-year-old Lehecka was playing in his second final of the season following a defeat to Sinner in Miami during the spring, and fell short of capturing a third career title following earlier triumphs at Adelaide in 2024 and Brisbane in 2025.
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