Japan Open: Alcaraz sets title clash with Fritz, registers career-best 66th season win

TOKYO: Spanish tennis superstar Carlos Alcaraz marched to the final of the ongoing Japan Open tournament on Monday with an incredible come-from-behind win over Casper Ruud, as he registered his 66th victory to mark his best season of the career.

Alcaraz, the world number one, continued his brilliant run with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over the Norwegian star and is on the hunt for his eighth title of the season, with his most recent trophy, the US Open Grand Slam title, sitting fresh inside his cabinet. He also overtook his career-best 65-season win tally of 2023 and would be aiming for his 67th.

Now, he will play the second-seeded Taylor Fritz in the title clash in his 10th final of the season and convert it into a trophy.

“Today was a very tough match,” Alcaraz said as quoted by Olympics.com.

“I could not take the opportunities in the first set. Emotionally, it was really, really tough to deal with everything today, but I am just really happy to be able to turn everything around. I am excited to be playing in another final,” he added.

Not since Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray back in 2011 have the top two seeds met in a Japan Tour final. Alcaraz has also become the first player since 1990s since reach nine successive finals on tour.

Alcaraz dropped his first set of the entire tournament against Ruud, who also registered the win in their most recent match in last year’s ATP finals in straight sets. Even though Alcaraz was frustrated by Ruud’s brand of tennis for over two hours, struggling to break him all night, the Spaniard nonethless showed why he is the top ranked player with a comeback win.

The numero uno star calmed himself down going into the second set, and that is when things started to turn around, and he nailed 11 aces.

“I was playing well, so it was just about telling a few things to myself, and after that, trying to be better,” the 22-year-old said.

“I think that was the key, that I calmed myself, I calmed down, see everything a little bit clearer, and just go for it. I had four break points in the first set, so I knew that I was going to have more chances, and it was about just staying there as strong as I could. Started to talk positively to myself, and I think that was the key,” he added.

Alcaraz had played Fritz recently in the Laver Cup, suffering his first loss to him and surrendering his 13-match unbeaten run to him.
Alcaraz knows how to adjust himself for the 2022 champion Fritz, as they both practised together on arrival in Japan.

“He is a really difficult player to play against,” Alcaraz said of Fritz.

“I think he has improved a lot. I came from San Francisco after losing against him, so I’m obviously practising the first day with him. I think that practice gave me a really good feedback as to how I should approach the match. His level is pretty high right now, he is really solid he is playing aggressive and he has a lot of confidence. I am excited about taking the challenge, and we will see tomorrow,” he concluded. (ANI)