Alcaraz Battles Past Munar to Reach Japan Open Final in Tokyo
The Alcaraz Japan Open final is set: Carlos Alcaraz fought back from a set down to beat fellow Spaniard Jaume Munar 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 in Tokyo on Monday and book his place in the title match.
The defending champion will face either Jiri Lehecka or Valentin Vacherot in Tuesday’s title match as he chases his first singles trophy since returning from a wrist injury.
The Alcaraz Japan Open final berth looked in doubt early on. The world number three was cruising at 5-4 in the opening set before two shaky service games handed Munar the advantage.
Alcaraz raises his level
After a sluggish start to the second set, Alcaraz found his range. The seven-time major champion wore Munar down with heavy shot-making to force a decider, then ran away with the third set to close out the all-Spanish semi-final in style.
The win keeps the 23-year-old’s title defence alive in Tokyo, a tournament he won last year and where the quick hard courts suit his aggressive game.
Comeback gathering pace
The 23-year-old completed the career Grand Slam by winning the Australian Open in February, only to sustain a wrist injury two months later that kept him out for a long stretch. He returned at the US Open, where a quarter-final run suggested a swift return to form, and moved through the gears again during Team Europe’s Laver Cup triumph last month.
Tokyo marks his deepest run since the comeback began. His movement looked sharp against Munar once he settled, and his serving steadied after the first-set wobble, signs that the wrist is holding up under match pressure.
What the Alcaraz Japan Open final means
A title in Tokyo would mark Alcaraz’s first singles crown since his comeback and underline his recovery ahead of the season’s closing stretch. Lehecka and Vacherot were contesting the second semi-final to decide who meets him on Tuesday.
Victory would also strengthen his position in the year-end rankings race as the tour heads toward its final events.
Who did Alcaraz beat in the Japan Open semi-final?
Jaume Munar, 5-7, 6-3, 6-1, in an all-Spanish semi-final in Tokyo on Monday.
Who will Alcaraz face in the final?
The winner of the second semi-final between Jiri Lehecka and Valentin Vacherot. The final is on Tuesday.
Is this Alcaraz’s first final since his injury?
He is chasing his first singles title since returning from the wrist injury he suffered two months after winning the Australian Open in February.
