By Adegboyega Adeleye
Carlos Alcaraz has won the Japan Open for a second consecutive year, claiming his first title since returning from a right wrist injury.
The Spaniard defeated Czech Republic’s Jiri Lehecka 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 in the final in Tokyo to successfully defend the title he won last year.
It was Alcaraz’s first tour-level trophy since winning in Doha in February and his first final since losing to Jannik Sinner at the Monte-Carlo Masters in April.
The 23-year-old returned to competitive action in late August after his injury lay-off and reached the US Open quarter-finals, where he lost to Ben Shelton in a match that ended at 3:33am.
Lehecka, ranked 19th in the world, made the brighter start in Tokyo, breaking Alcaraz to lead 3-1.
But Alcaraz quickly recovered to level at 3-3 before taking control of the first-set tie-break, winning five consecutive points from 2-4 to take the opener.
The Spaniard then made the decisive breakthrough in the seventh game of the second set, breaking Lehecka to lead 4-3 before serving out the match.
The victory made Alcaraz the first man to successfully defend the Japan Open title since Pete Sampras in 1994.
“It’s extra special to win a title again. It’s been a while,” Alcaraz said.
“To win a trophy in my second tournament back is amazing. I didn’t find my best tennis all week, but I found the right solutions to win. Today I played the best match of the entire tournament. I’m really happy.”
Alcaraz began the season by winning the Australian Open, completing a career Grand Slam with his seventh major title, before adding another trophy in Doha.
His subsequent wrist injury forced him to miss the French Open and Wimbledon.
Reflecting on his time away from the court, Alcaraz admitted he had doubts about whether he would return to his best.
“Obviously a lot of negative thoughts come to your mind,” he said.
“If you are going to come back healthy, if you are going to come back the same as I was before. If I will be able to hit the ball normally without pain at all. A lot of thoughts came to my mind, but I tried to put those thoughts away all the time.”
Alcaraz added that he trusted his team and himself throughout the rehabilitation process.
“My team and I knew that if I come back I was going to feel 100 per cent. If I feel something, [the comeback is] not going to be anything, so I just have to go full for every shot, every ball, and I trust [my team], I trust myself, and it worked out.”
British former tennis player Liam Broady said the victory could give Alcaraz significant momentum heading into the latter part of the season.
“You might forgive them for not being too bothered about winning an ATP 500 but everything he’s been through the last few months, I’m sure this is a very special one for him,” Broady said on Sky Sports Tennis.
“This is exactly what the future opponents of Alcaraz do not want to see is him gathering momentum whilst not potentially playing his best tennis.”
Alcaraz’s victory was also celebrated by Real Madrid, who congratulated the Spaniard on social media.
“Enhorabuena, querido @carlosalcaraz, por tu segundo Open de Tokio. Los madridistas estamos muy orgullosos de que hayas vuelto a ganar. ¡27 títulos! ¡Felicidades, campeón!” the club posted.
Muchova edges Osaka in China Open thriller
Wimbledon runner-up Karolina Muchova survived a thrilling encounter with Naomi Osaka to reach the quarter-finals of the WTA China Open.
Muchova saved multiple match points before defeating Osaka 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (9-7) in a contest that lasted almost three hours.
The Czech was broken in both the first and third sets but fought back to eventually convert her ninth match point.
“I honestly didn’t even believe I will finish the match,” Muchova said after the victory.
“I was shaking. I’m happy that I made the last volley and it was really so close. Naomi could be standing here. It’s me, and I’m really grateful for it.”
Fourth seed Mirra Andreeva also advanced to the quarter-finals after beating Ukraine’s Daria Snigur 6-2, 6-2 at Beijing’s National Tennis Center.
The 19-year-old Russian will face compatriot Ekaterina Alexandrova, the 19th seed, in the next round.
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