Carlos Alcaraz fought through a nail‑biting opening set tiebreak to secure his place in the quarter‑finals of the Japan Open, defeating Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi 7‑6 (8‑6), 6‑1 on Saturday. The Spaniard, currently ranked No. 3 in the world, will now meet Canada’s Denis Shapovalov, who earned his spot by beating Alejandro Tabilo 7‑5, 3‑6, 6‑4, in the same tournament.
The first set was a roller‑coaster. After falling behind 2‑5 in the tiebreak, Alcaraz saved four set points, displaying his trademark resilience. He then turned the tide, winning the decisive point and taking the set 7‑6 with an 8‑6 tiebreak score. The momentum shift was palpable; Alcaraz’s confidence surged, and he entered the second set with renewed vigor.
In the second set, the world No. 3 raised his level even further. He broke Arnaldi’s serve twice, cruising to a 6‑1 finish and sealing the match. After the win, Alcaraz reflected on his performance, saying, "I just tried to stay there, point after point.
I changed how I played until that moment and it worked out. I'm just happy I got that first set.
Matteo was playing great." His composure under pressure highlighted why he is considered one of the sport’s rising stars. The Japan Open continued to produce thrilling action across both the men’s and women’s draws. In another Tokyo match, Czech youngster Jiri Lehecka rallied from a set down to defeat France’s Ugo Humbert 5‑7, 6‑4, 6‑4, earning a quarter‑final showdown with Chilean Adolfo Daniel Vallejo Alvarez, who had upset Italian veteran Matteo Berrettini.
Over in Beijing at the China Open, former US Open champion Alexander Zverev set up a marquee quarter‑final clash with Novak Djokovic after cruising past wildcard Juncheng Shang 6‑0, 6‑3. Meanwhile, Australian Alex de Minaur, who had suffered an early exit at the US Open, rebounded with a three‑set victory over France’s Quentin Halys, positioning himself for a last‑eight encounter with Russia’s Andrey Rublev. Both de Minaur and Rublev are vying for valuable Race to Turin points as they chase one of the coveted spots at this year’s ATP Finals.
Rublev himself secured his quarter‑final berth by overcoming a second‑set comeback from Roman Safiullin, winning 6‑2, 3‑6, 6‑4. In the other half of the draw, Daniil Medvedev dispatched Jan‑Lennard Struff in straight sets, setting up a potential meeting with the winner of the Francisco Cerúndolo versus Jakub Mensik tie.
On the women’s side, after a three‑week hiatus following her semi‑final loss to Elena Rybakina at the US Open, American star Coco Gauff returned to competition at the China Open. She fought past world No. 66 Camila Osorio with a 7‑6 (7‑4), 4‑6, 6‑2 victory, advancing to the third round. Gauff survived a first‑set tiebreak, dropped the second after being broken at 4‑5, and then clinched the match by breaking Osorio early in the third set.
Her next opponent will be China’s Xinran Sun. British hopeful Harriet Dart started strongly against 10th seed Iva Jovic, taking the opening set, but could not maintain the pressure, eventually succumbing 2‑6, 6‑3, 6‑3.
In contrast, fellow Briton Sonay Kartal advanced comfortably, beating China’s top‑ranked Xinyu Wang 6‑3, 6‑2. Kartal’s win could set up a potential meeting with Rybakina, should she overcome Alina Charaeva in the following round. Poland’s Iga Swiatek, fresh from a last‑16 exit at the US Open, returned to the court in Tokyo and displayed dominant form, converting five break points to defeat China’s Xinyu Gao 6‑2, 6‑3.
Her aggressive baseline play and precise serving left little room for her opponent. Elina Svitolina also demonstrated fighting spirit, coming back from a set down against Czech Katerina Siniakova. After losing the first set 1‑6, Svitolina turned the match around, taking the next two sets 6‑4, 6‑2, and securing her place in the next round.
Fans can follow all of these matches live via the NOW streaming platform or the Sky Sports app, which provide contract‑free access to the ATP Japan Open, the WTA/ATP China Open, and the ATP 1000 Shanghai Masters. These platforms offer high‑quality video streams, multiple camera angles, and real‑time statistics, ensuring viewers don’t miss any of the drama unfolding on the courts. Overall, the week’s tournaments have highlighted the depth of talent across both tours. Alcaraz’s gritty performance against Arnaldi underscores his growing reputation as a clutch player capable of handling high‑pressure moments.
Meanwhile, the diverse field of emerging and established players—ranging from Lehecka and de Minaur to Gauff and Swiatek—illustrates the global nature of tennis and the fierce competition for ranking points, prize money, and qualification for year‑end championships. As the season progresses, each match brings new narratives, and fans can expect further excitement as the remaining rounds of the Japan and China Opens unfold.