Alcaraz defends Japan Open title after wrist injury absence

Carlos Alcaraz defended his Japan Open title on Tuesday, October 6, defeating Jiri Lehecka 7-6, 6-4 in Tokyo for his first trophy since February. The win marked Alcaraz’s third title of 2026, following victories at the Australian Open and Qatar Open, and came after a reported four-and-a-half-month absence with a wrist injury. The final began with Lehecka breaking Alcaraz’s serve, but the Spaniard recovered and levelled the first set at 3-3. Alcaraz then won the tiebreak, turning around a 4-2 deficit by taking five consecutive points. In the second set, he broke Lehecka in the seventh game and held on to close out the match. Lehecka, ranked 19th in the world, was challenging the third-ranked Alcaraz for the title. The victory was Alcaraz’s second consecutive Japan Open championship. He said after the match that the title was especially meaningful following his injury and described the final as his most consistent performance of the week. He also acknowledged that he had not found his best level throughout the tournament, but said he had managed important moments effectively.