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Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the Japan Open semi-finals in Tokyo despite struggling significantly on his serve, overcoming a turbulent first set against Denis Shapovalov before the Canadian retired with a hip injury after 82 minutes of play. It was reported that the world No. 3 was broken three times in the opening set alone.
Overcoming Serving Struggles and a Turbulent First Set
Alcaraz admitted post-match that finding rhythm on his delivery proved nearly impossible throughout the contest. “It was a little bit frustrating with my serve. I couldn’t find a good way of serving. I was struggling almost every game on serve,” Alcaraz said. But I’m just happy with the way I came back after every break.
The opening set encapsulated those serving woes. Alcaraz dropped serve three times and fell behind 5-3 before mounting a response to force a tie-break. It was noted that the Spaniard fought back from 2-4 and 3-5 down, saving a set point at 4-5 before claiming the tie-break 7-3. Once he began targeting Shapovalov’s one-handed backhand with high-bouncing balls, the momentum shifted firmly in his favor.
Shapovalov’s Retirement and Alcaraz’s Path Forward
The match ended abruptly in the second set. After dropping the opening game of the second set, Shapovalov took a medical timeout to treat a hip issue. The Canadian attempted to continue but conceded defeat after two more games, trailing 7-6 (3), 2-1.
“It’s a shame that he had to pull out,” Alcaraz said regarding the premature finish. “Going through to a semi-final like this is not the way I wanted, but sometimes sports are tough.” You have to accept it.
By securing the victory, Alcaraz extended his winning streak in Tokyo to eight matches, following his title run at the tournament in 2025. He also pushed his overall winning streak at ATP 500 events to 19 consecutive victories. Alcaraz remains unbeaten at the tournament after eight matches, and Spanish tennis is therefore guaranteed to have another finalist in Tokyo.
| Tournament Phase | Opponent | Result / Score |
|---|---|---|
| Quarter-finals | Denis Shapovalov | 7-6 (3), 2-1 (Retired) |
| Semi-finals (Upcoming) | Jaume Munar | Scheduled for Monday |
Facing Jaume Munar in the Semi-Finals
Alcaraz will face Jaume Munar in the semi-finals on Monday. Munar advanced through the qualifiers and defeated Kyrian Jacquet 6-4, 6-2 in the previous round, having also begun his run in Tokyo with an impressive victory over American Taylor Fritz, the 2025 finalist. Alcaraz will naturally enter the semifinal as the favorite.
The encounter marks their fifth professional meeting. Munar won their initial encounter in the semi-finals at Marbella in 2021. It was pointed out that this will be their first career meeting on a hard court.
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