“What a journey since I got injured”: Alcaraz defends Tokyo title against Lehecka for first trophy since injury

Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, the top seed, beat Czech Jiri Lehecka 7-6 (4), 6-4 on Tuesday to win the Tokyo ATP 500 for the second year in a row. It is his first title in seven and a half months, after the Australian Open and Doha, and his first since returning from a five-month injury layoff.

“Thinking about everything I’ve done to get here and all the hard work I’ve put in for this moment makes it even more emotional,” Alcaraz said. “So I’m simply very happy and proud, and I’m grateful for everything.”

The 23-year-old is only the third man to defend the Tokyo title, after Stefan Edberg, who won three straight from 1989 to 1991, and Pete Sampras in 1993 and 1994. He is also the first Spaniard to win the event twice and is now 10-0 there. It is the sixth time in his career that he has successfully defended a title.

Only Roger Federer (16), Nadal (15) and Novak Djokovic (14) have won more ATP 500 titles since the category was created in 2009. He is now 21-0 at that level since losing to Holger Rune in last year’s Barcelona final.

I didn’t find my best tennis, but I did find good solutions

Alcaraz admitted he had not been at his best during the week. “I didn’t find my best tennis, but I did find good solutions,” he said. “Playing the most important points the best you can is what matters at the end.”

He also thanked his team for getting him through his recovery.

“What a journey since I got injured… So much time has passed; it’s been a really long process, very slow, with ups and downs, with doubts, but also with some truly great moments,” he told them. “All the hard work you’ve done for me to get me ready, to get me in good shape, to be physically healthy heading into my comeback, and to make sure I don’t get injured again… it’s been incredible.”

So many titles to win at the end of the season

Alcaraz had beaten qualifier Jaume Munar 5-7, 6-3, 6-1, Canadian Denis Shapovalov 7-6 (3), 2-1 ret., Italian Matteo Arnaldi 7-6 (6), 6-1 and American Alex Michelsen 7-6 (1), 4-6, 6-1 along the way. He now leads Lehecka 4-1 in their head-to-head.

Lehecka, ranked No. 19, was trying to become the first Czech man to win in Tokyo since Tomas Berdych in 2008. He had beaten Monégasque Valentin Vacherot, the No. 8 seed, 6-4, 6-2, Paraguayan qualifier Adolfo Daniel Vallejo 6-1, 6-1, Frenchman Ugo Humbert 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 and Belgian Zizou Bergs 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-3. He still climbs to No. 15 on Monday.

Alcaraz now turns to the end of the season with some trophies still missing from his collection. “I’m very motivated for what’s to come. Shanghai, Paris, the ATP Finals, the Davis Cup… these are tournaments I’d like to win someday,” he said. “This year I’m coming in motivated and prepared, so we’ll see.”