Tokyo, October 5, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz fought back from a set down to defeat fellow Spaniard Jaume Munar 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 in the Japan Open semifinal at Ariake Coliseum on Monday, booking his place in the final for the second consecutive year.
Alcaraz made a strong start but failed to close out the opening set despite leading 5-3 and serving for it. Munar broke back, moved ahead 6-5 and then secured the set 7-5.
The Spaniard responded strongly in the second set, breaking Munar for a 2-1 lead and adding another break to move 4-2 ahead. He eventually claimed the set 6-3 after another break to level the match.
Alcaraz then took complete control in the decider. He established a double-break advantage at 4-0 and, despite Munar managing to hold once, served out the match 6-1.
Reflecting on his slow starts, Alcaraz said he was unsure why he had struggled in opening sets throughout the tournament but was pleased with his ability to recover.
“I don’t know what happened in the first set… The first sets in general, to be honest. I don’t know. I started the match well, breaking, serving for the set. Don’t know what happened. It seems like I’m struggling every first set. But the way I come back every time, I’m just really happy about it,” he told tournament broadcasters.
Alcaraz has been pushed hard in the opening sets during his run in Tokyo. He needed tie-breaks to get past Alex Michelsen in the round of 32, Matteo Arnaldi in the round of 16 and Denis Shapovalov in the quarterfinals.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion will face either Jiri Lehecka or Valentin Vacherot in the final. Alcaraz is seeking to successfully defend the Japan Open title he won in 2025 after beating Taylor Fritz in last year’s final.
He opted to compete in Tokyo this year while several other leading players are taking part in the China Open.
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