Alcaraz Retains Japan Open Title With Win Over Lehecka
Carlos Alcaraz defended his Japan Open title on Tuesday, beating Jiri Lehecka 7-6, 6-4 in the final at Tokyo’s Ariake Coliseum.
The 23-year-old Spaniard needed one hour and 36 minutes to overcome the unseeded Czech. Alcaraz dropped serve in the opening game but recovered to take the first set in a tiebreak before breaking in the second set to seal the ATP 500 title.
The victory is Alcaraz’s third title of 2026 after the Australian Open and the Qatar Open. It is the 27th ATP Tour title of his career. He became the first man to win back-to-back Tokyo titles since Pete Sampras in 1993-94.
Alcaraz returned to the tour at the US Open in late August after nearly five months out with a wrist injury. The world number three said lifting the trophy was extra special after his comeback. Lehecka, who served seven aces, fell short despite a strong first set. Alcaraz has now won 35 matches and lost four in 2026.
Khabar 24h Editorial Desk — our explainers are prepared by the Khabar 24h editorial team using AI-assisted research tools, and every piece is reviewed by a human editor before publishing. We do not claim original reporting: our work is turning complex topics into simple, accurate summaries. Spotted an error? Write to contact@khabar24h.com — our corrections policy aims for same-day review.
More from this author →
Leave a Reply