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After an injury-ridden 2026 season, Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz went back to winning ways, defeating Jiri Lehecka to defend his Japan Open Tennis Championships title on Tuesday.
Alcaraz, the world number three, outclassed Lehecka 7-6(4), 6-4 in the final of the hard-court ATP 500 tournament in Tokyo. The multi-time Grand Slammer was kept on his toes by a valiant Lehecka, but Alcaraz had moments of brilliance that helped him earn his first tour-level title since February, back in Doha. I am really happy to be able to lift a trophy again, Alcaraz said as quoted by ATP's official website, missing the action between Barcelona in April and the US Open in late August due to a wrist injury. It has been a while, and obviously it is extra special after my injury. My comeback, in the second tournament that I have played, lifting a trophy means a lot." "I am really happy about it. A tough week. I did not find my best level, but I did find the good solutions, and I think that is what matters at the end. Playing the most important points the best you can. I think I did it this week. I would say today was the best match of the week, or at least more consistent, the level that I played," he added. With his win over Lehecka in over an hour and a half, Alcaraz's record in ATP 500 tournaments improved to 21-0 after his loss to Holger Rune in the 2025 Barcelona final. He is also just the third player on the elite list of those who have successfully defended the Tokyo title, alongside two former world number ones and legends, Stefan Edberg, who won three crowns on the bounce from 1989 to 1991, and Pete Sampras, who triumphed in 1993 and 1994. Speaking on whether he feared of not being able to win a trophy again during his time dealing with injuries, Alcaraz admitted that there was negativity, but he tried to keep it away. "Obviously, a lot of negative thoughts come to your mind. If you are going to come back healthy, if you are going to come back the same as I was before. If I will be able to hit the ball normally without pain at all. A lot of thoughts came to my mind, but I tried to put those thoughts away all the time.My team and I knew that if I come back I was going to feel 100 per cent. If I feel something, the comeback is not going to be anything, so I just have to go full for every shot, every ball, and I trust my team, I trust myself, and it worked out," he signed off. (ANI)
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