Carlos Alcaraz clinched his first tournament triumph since returning from an extended lay‑off caused by a right‑wrist injury, adding another trophy to his résumé at the Japan Open. The 23‑year‑old Spaniard, who had not featured in a marquee event since his loss to Jannik Sinner at the Monte‑Carlo Masters in April, successfully defended the Tokyo crown he secured the previous year, overcoming Czech contender Jiri Lehecka with a 7‑6 (7‑4), 6‑4 scoreline.
Alcaraz’s comeback narrative began in late August when he re‑entered the tour after months of rehabilitation. He quickly proved his resilience by advancing to the quarter‑finals of the US Open, where he was edged out by American Ben Shelton in a marathon match that concluded at 3:33 a.m.
local time. The Japan Open victory therefore represents his first ATP‑level title since his triumph in Doha earlier this season, and it marks a significant milestone in his recovery journey. Lehecka, ranked No. 19 in the world, started the final strongly, racing to a 3‑1 lead in the opening set.
Alcaraz, who has been wearing a compression sleeve on his right arm since his return, fought back to level the set at 3‑3. The Spaniard then displayed his full arsenal of crowd‑pleasing weapons in the tiebreak, stringing together five consecutive points after trailing 2‑4 to seal the first set.
In the second set, Alcaraz broke Lehecka’s serve in the seventh game to go up 4‑3, eventually converting that advantage into a straight‑sets win. "It feels extra special to lift a trophy again – it’s been a while," Alcaraz said after the match.
"Winning my second tournament back is amazing. I didn’t play my best tennis all week, but I found the right solutions to win.
Today I played the best match of the whole tournament. I’m really happy." His victory also made him the first man to defend the Japan Open title since Pete Sampras accomplished the feat in 1994. The Spaniard opened the 2024 season by completing the career Grand Slam at the Australian Open, his seventh major title, and followed that with a win in Doha before the wrist injury forced him out of competition.
Reflecting on the mental challenges of his rehabilitation, Alcaraz admitted, "Obviously a lot of negative thoughts come to your mind. I wondered if I would ever taste success again, if I could return to the level I was at before, and if I could hit the ball without pain. Those thoughts were there, but I tried to push them aside. My team and I knew that if I felt anything, the comeback would be compromised, so I gave everything to each shot and trusted my team and myself.
It worked out." British tennis professional Liam Broady, speaking on Sky Sports Tennis, highlighted the broader significance of Alcaraz’s win for the Asian swing of the tour. "You can see the gratitude and joy in his team.
Even if an ATP 500 isn’t his biggest goal, given everything he’s endured these past months, this title is incredibly special for him," Broady said. He added that Alcaraz had struggled early in the week, dropping a few three‑set matches that he might have won more comfortably under normal circumstances. "What future opponents don’t want to see is him building momentum while not playing his absolute best tennis," Broady noted.
The Japan Open coverage also included updates from the WTA China Open. Wimbledon runner‑up Karolina Muchova survived a dramatic four‑set battle against Naomi Osaka, saving multiple match points before finally prevailing 7‑5, 1‑6, 7‑6 (9‑7) after nearly three hours of play. "I honestly didn’t believe I would finish the match," Muchova confessed in the post‑match interview.
"There were so many match points; I was shaking, but I managed to hit the final volley and win. It was incredibly close, and I’m grateful." In other women's matches, fourth‑seed Mirra Andreeva advanced to the quarter‑finals with a convincing 6‑2, 6‑2 victory over Ukraine’s Daria Snigur at Beijing’s National Tennis Center. The 19‑year‑old Russian now prepares to face compatriot and 19th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, who is twelve years her senior, in the next round. Alcaraz’s triumph in Tokyo not only underscores his physical recovery but also signals his mental fortitude as he re‑establishes himself among the sport’s elite.
The win adds to a season that already featured a major title, a Doha championship, and a deep run at the US Open, suggesting that the Spaniard’s comeback may be even stronger than anticipated. Fans can continue to follow his progress through live streams on platforms such as NOW and the Sky Sports app, which also broadcast the upcoming ATP 1000 Shanghai Masters.