Alcaraz, Dart and Kartal Triumph in Japan and China While Norrie and Fery Exit Early

The Japan Open and China Open delivered a packed day of drama on both the ATP and WTA circuits, with Spanish prodigy Carlos Alcaraz and British women Harriet Dart and Sonay Kartal securing victories, while fellow Britons Cameron Norrie and Arthur Fery suffered first‑round defeats. Alcaraz’s match against American teenager Alex Michelsen was a roller‑coaster. After rescuing three set points, the 23‑year‑old Spaniard edged a tightly contested opening set, winning the tiebreak with a display of power and precision.

Yet his new, quicker service motion was still a work in progress; he was broken twice early in the second set, allowing Michelsen to claw back into contention. Alcaraz, who had shown flashes of his top form on the road to the US Open quarter‑finals after a lengthy injury lay‑off, steadied his game and reclaimed the lead. A double fault in the seventh game gave Michelsen a lifeline, and the American capitalised, keeping his composure during a tense finish to the second set.

A lucky net‑cord winner left Alcaraz stranded at the baseline, forcing a deciding set. Reflecting on his preparation, Alcaraz explained that the relentless rain in Tokyo had curtailed his practice sessions. "The ball behaved differently, the court was a bit slower than indoor surfaces, so I had to adjust quickly," he said.

He added that the conditions were frustrating because they prevented him from playing his preferred aggressive style, but he was pleased to adapt and secure the win. "It was important to get this feeling for the next round and know what I need to do in the upcoming matches," he noted.

In the final set, Alcaraz produced a couple of spectacular points to go up 2‑0, then used his trademark launch pad to close out the match comfortably, delivering a rare day of upsets in the ATP 500 event. His triumph came on the heels of a strong showing at the Laver Cup, where he helped Team Europe defeat Team World on indoor courts in London. Alcaraz’s victory was part of a broader pattern of surprises.

Third seed Taylor Fritz fell to qualifier Jaume Munar, 6‑7 (7‑9), 6‑4, 6‑3. Sixth seed Casper Ruud was upset by Italy’s Luciano Darderi, 7‑6 (7‑3), 6‑3, while seventh seed Tommy Paul suffered a 6‑1, 6‑2 loss to Chilean Alejandro Tabilo.

Former world No. 4 Holger Rune, still recovering from an Achilles injury, was dispatched 6‑3, 6‑1 by Frenchman Kyrian Jacquet.

On the men’s side of the China Open in Beijing, Cameron Norrie’s campaign ended abruptly. The British No.

1 was beaten 7‑6 (7‑1), 6‑4 by the newly crowned US Open champion Alexander Zverev. Norrie had an opportunity to close the first set with a set point but squandered it, then faltered in the subsequent tiebreak. Zverev, eager to close the gap with world No.

1 Jannik Sinner—who was absent from the tournament—snapped a crucial break in the ninth game of the second set and sealed the win. It marked Zverev’s ninth consecutive main‑tour victory over Norrie, who was playing his first match after a disappointing early exit at the US Open. In the Japan Open, British youngster Arthur Fery also bowed out in the opening round, losing 4‑6, 6‑3, 4‑6 to Portugal’s Jaime Faria.

Fery had originally been slated to face Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti, but Musetti withdrew due to a finger injury, prompting Faria—ranked world No. 68—to step in.

Faria surged ahead early in Tokyo, forcing Fery to recover and force a deciding third set. Despite stabilising his play, Fery could not break Faria’s serve in the final set, and the Portuguese player closed the match in just over two hours. The women’s draw at the China Open saw Kartal claim her first tour‑level win since March, defeating Spain’s Andrea Lazaro Garcia in straight sets, 6‑2, 6‑3, and advancing to the second round. Meanwhile, fellow Brit Harriet Dart endured a grueling three‑hour battle against China’s Qu Yihan in Beijing.

The 30‑year‑old Londoner eventually emerged victorious with a 6‑2, 6‑7 (5‑7), 7‑5 scoreline, demonstrating resilience and stamina. Tokyo also hosted an emotional farewell for Japanese veteran Kei Nishikori, who announced his retirement at the end of the year. In his final professional appearance on home soil, Nishikori fell 6‑4, 6‑4 to second‑seeded American Frances Tiafoe.

The 36‑year‑old, a former US Open finalist and career‑high world No. 4, expressed mixed emotions ahead of the match, saying, "I am excited to play in Japan but I also know this is my last moment. So, it’s kind of sad." Nishikori, who missed the Australian Open earlier in the year due to a shoulder injury and has been hampered by various ailments, received a wild‑card entry to the Japan Open—a tournament he won in 2012 and 2014. He first broke onto the professional scene in 2007 and made history in 2014 by becoming the first Japanese man to reach a Grand Slam singles final at the US Open, where he was defeated by Marin Čilić.

Overall, the day highlighted the unpredictable nature of professional tennis: rising stars like Alcaraz continue to adapt and thrive under challenging conditions, while seasoned players such as Nishikori bid farewell to their careers. The British contingent experienced both triumph and disappointment, underscoring the fine margins that separate victory from defeat on the world stage.