Japan Open 2026: Carlos Alcaraz wins first title since return from injury layoff

This was Carlos Alcaraz’s third title of the year, including the Australian Open. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Carlos Alcaraz won his first title since returning from a four-month injury layoff after beating the Czech Republic’s Jiri Lehecka 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 in Tuesday’s Japan Open final.

This marked Alcaraz’s third tournament since returning from a wrist injury, and it followed a run till the US Open quarter-finals as well an appearance at the Laver Cup. This was also his third title of the year including the Australian Open.

“A lot of negative thoughts come to your mind, if you’re going to come back healthy, if you’re going to be the same as I was before, my team and I knew that when I came back I was going to be healthy 100 percent and if I feel something, it’s not going to be anything at all,” said Alcaraz

Alcaraz went into the Japan Open final with a 3-1 lead in terms of a career head-to-head record against Lehecka, who was also looking to win his first title of the year.

Alcaraz had his service broken immediately by a confident-looking Lehecka, who gave his top-seeded opponent no time to settle.

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The Spaniard broke back in a long tussle midway through the first set and followed that up with a brutal display of power tennis in the next game.

Lehecka proved a tough nut to crack though, and Alcaraz needed to pull out a pair of spectacular drop shots to clinch the first set in a tiebreaker, he then continued to be a problem in Alcaraz’s path to the trophy but the defending champion had a breakthrough midway through the second set. He then went on to secure the victory.

Alcaraz is set to participate next in the Shanghai Masters, which is starting on Wednesday, he pulled out of last year’s tournament after winning in Tokyo, citing “physical issues”.