TOKYO: Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz defeated unseeded Czech Jiri Lehecka 7-6(4) 6-4 in the Japan Open final on Tuesday to retain his title and continue his resurgence after a wrist injury.
The title is Alcaraz’s third of the year after the Australian Open and the Qatar Open, before the 23-year-old was sidelined for nearly five months and returned at the US Open in late August.
The world number three started shakily at Tokyo’s Ariake Coliseum, dropping serve in the first game, but soon recovered and dialled up the intensity to break Lehecka’s serve with a scorching backhand to level at 3-3.
More uncharacteristic errors from Alcaraz gave Lehecka hope in the tiebreak, but the Spaniard unleashed a sublime drop-shot en route to clinching the opening set to lay the platform for victory.
The seven-times Grand Slam champion took control midway through the second set, breaking to take a 4-3 lead before sealing victory by forcing an error on match point.
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