Carlos Alcaraz retains Japan Open title in big step following injury layoff

TOKYO (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz required two tournaments after a 4 ½-month injury layoff to raise another trophy.

The third-ranked Alcaraz beat Jiri Lehecka 7-6 (4), 6-4 on Tuesday to successfully defend his Japan Open title.

“It’s been a while," Alcaraz said, “and obviously it’s extra special.”

Alcaraz returned from a right wrist injury in late August and made a run to the U.S. Open quarterfinals, where he lost to Ben Shelton in a match that ended at 3:33 a.m. He’s been wearing a compression sleeve on his right arm since his return.

Alcaraz discussed what went through his mind while sitting out the French Open and Wimbledon.

“A lot of negative thoughts come to your mind. If you’re going to come back healthy, if you’re going to come back the same as I was before. If I will be able to get the ball normal without pain at all,” he said.

“But I try to put those thoughts away all the time. My team and I knew that if I come back, I’m going to be healthy 100%. If I feel something, it’s not going to be anything at all. So I have to go full to every shot, every ball. … It worked out.”

It was Alcaraz’s third title of the year and first since winning in Doha, Qatar, in February. At the start of the year he won his seventh Grand Slam title at the Australian Open.

It was the 27th title of Alcaraz’s career.

The 19th-ranked Lehecka entered the final on a six-match winning streak. He won both of his singles matches when he led the Czech Republic past the United States to qualify for the Davis Cup Final 8 then also took his opening four matches in Tokyo.

Alcaraz was broken in the opening game of the final but broke back for 3-3. In the tiebreaker, Alcaraz fell behind 4-2 then won five straight points.

He was at his best in the tiebreaker, digging out a difficult shot at his feet following a net cord from Lehecka, producing a massive forehand return and then a forehand drop-shot winner. Lehecka missed two backhands to end the set.

Alcaraz broke Lehecka again midway through the second set and served it out at love on his first opportunity.

In the earlier rounds, Alcaraz struggled with his consistency at times. In his semifinal against qualifier Jaume Munar, Alcaraz dropped the first set during a run of 16 straight points lost.

“I didn’t find my best tennis, my best level, but I did find the good solutions and I think that’s what matters at the end, playing the most important points the best you can and I think I did it this week,” Alcaraz said. “I would say today was the best match of the week.”

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