Carlos Alcaraz ends eight-month wait with Tokyo defence

Carlos Alcaraz has ended an eight-month wait for a title by retaining his Tokyo championship. The Spaniard defeated Jiri Lehecka in the final to become the tournament’s winner for a second consecutive year, adding another trophy after a prolonged break between successes.

Alcaraz prevailed 7-6, 6-4 in one hour and 34 minutes. Lehecka, ranked 19th, made the better start by breaking in the opening game and also moved 3-1 ahead in the first-set tiebreak. Alcaraz recovered on both occasions, then took control of the second set and completed the victory without dropping a set.

The result takes Alcaraz’s career tally to 27 titles and gives him a 3-1 record against Lehecka. His previous championship came in Doha in February, during a strong opening period that also included his first Australian Open crown. He then missed four months of competition between April and August while dealing with a wrist injury. After returning, he reached the quarter-finals at the most recent US Open before converting his Tokyo title defence. The 23-year-old now has a chance to add another trophy in Shanghai, where he could pursue a 28th career title.