Tokyo [Japan], October 6 (ANI): After an injury-ridden 2026 season, Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz went again to profitable methods, defeating Jiri Lehecka to defend his Japan Open Tennis Championships title on Tuesday.Â
Alcaraz, the world quantity three, outclassed Lehecka 7-6(4), 6-4 within the ultimate of the hard-court ATP 500 event in Tokyo. The multi-time Grand Slammer was stored on his toes by a valiant Lehecka, however Alcaraz had moments of brilliance that helped him earn his first tour-level title since February, again in Doha.
“I am really happy to be able to lift a trophy again,” Alcaraz stated as quoted by ATP’s official web site, lacking the motion between Barcelona in April and the US Open in late August resulting from a wrist harm. “It has been some time, and clearly it’s further particular after my harm. My comeback, within the second event that I’ve performed, lifting a trophy means rather a lot.’
‘I’m actually glad about it. A troublesome week. I didn’t discover my finest stage, however I did discover the nice options, and I believe that’s what issues on the finish. Playing a very powerful factors the very best you may. I believe I did it this week. I’d say in the present day was the very best match of the week, or no less than extra constant, the extent that I performed,’ he added.Â
With his win over Lehecka in over an hour and a half, Alcaraz’s document in ATP 500 tournaments improved to 21-0 after his loss to Holger Rune within the 2025 Barcelona ultimate. He can be simply the third participant on the elite checklist of those that have efficiently defended the Tokyo title, alongside two former world quantity ones and legends, Stefan Edberg, who gained three crowns on the bounce from 1989 to 1991, and Pete Sampras, who triumphed in 1993 and 1994.
Speaking on whether or not he feared of not with the ability to win a trophy once more throughout his time coping with accidents, Alcaraz admitted that there was negativity, however he tried to maintain it away.Â
‘Obviously, a number of adverse ideas come to your thoughts. If you’ll come again wholesome, if you’ll come again the identical as I used to be earlier than. If I can hit the ball usually with out ache in any respect. A variety of ideas got here to my thoughts, however I attempted to place these ideas away on a regular basis. My workforce and I knew that if I come again I used to be going to really feel 100 per cent. If I really feel one thing, the comeback isn’t going to be something, so I simply need to go full for each shot, each ball, and I belief my workforce, I belief myself, and it labored out,’ he signed off. (ANI)