Tokyo, October 4, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Top seed Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the semi-finals of the Japan Open Tennis Championships on Sunday after Denis Shapovalov retired early in the second set of their quarter-final clash.
The defending champion was leading 7-6(3), 2-1 when Shapovalov was forced to withdraw after 82 minutes, following a closely contested opening set.
Shapovalov made a strong start, taking a 5-3 lead and earning a set point at 5-4, 30/40. However, Alcaraz saved the opportunity with a drop shot and fought his way back into the contest. The Spaniard then dominated the tie-break to secure the opening set.
The first set featured six breaks of serve, with both players struggling to maintain consistency on their delivery. Alcaraz was broken three times but managed to recover each time.
“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. It was a great first set, with great points and great rallies.”
Shapovalov appeared to injure his hip while stretching for a forehand early in the second set. He received an off-court medical timeout after the opening game but was unable to continue after returning to the court.
“It’s a shame that he had to pull out. Going through to a semi-final like this is not the way I wanted, but sometimes sports are tough. You have to accept it. Hopefully, he’s going to be able to play in Shanghai healthy,” Alcaraz said.
The victory extended Alcaraz’s unbeaten run at the Tokyo ATP 500 event to eight matches. The 23-year-old won the title on his tournament debut in 2025.
Alcaraz will face fellow Spaniard Jaume Munar in the semi-finals. Munar, who entered the tournament as a qualifier, defeated Kyrian Jacquet 6-4, 6-2 to reach the last four. He had earlier recorded a first-round victory over third seed Taylor Fritz.
Alcaraz leads Munar 3-1 in their ATP head-to-head record. Munar will be competing in his eighth ATP Tour semi-final and his first since Basel last October.
Munar’s run in Tokyo has also lifted him 15 places to No. 49 in the ATP Live Rankings, marking another milestone in his campaign.
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