Carlos Alcaraz began his Asian swing with a 7-6. 6-4, Tokyo title victory which thrust the Spaniard among the sports’s elites after successfully defending the Japan Open trophy on Tuesday.

Alcaraz backed up his 2025 trophy at the Ariake colosseum, matching the back-to-back wins here of Stefan Edberg (1989-1991) and Pete Sampras (1993-1994).

Alcaraz, who missed almost five months of play due to a wrist injury, picked up this third title of the season after the Australian Open and Doha in February.

The Spaniard was all smiles after his win, telling Britain’s Sky: “I’m really happy to be able to lift a trophy again. It’s been a while and obviously it’s extra special after my injury.”

The winner  called the experience “a tough week (where) I didn’t find my best tennis, my best level, but I did find the good solutions.

“That’s what matters in the end.”

The winner called the final “the best match of the week, or at least more consistent the level that I played, so I’m just really, really happy.”

Alcaraz rallied from 4-2 down in the opening-set tiebreaker, winning five straight points to secure the set.

In the second, one break of his Czech opponent was enough to lift the trophy after 96 minutes.

The world No. 3 said that his enforced injury absence serves as a learning experience.

“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/.

“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 percent.”

Main photo:- Carlos Alcaraz lifts Japan Open trophy – © ATPTour.com

Jannik Sinner on Tuesday officials called a halt to his 2026 season, with the world No. 1 set to take a few months to heal the knee injury which has kept him off the court since winning Wimbledon.

The 42-second video clip from the Italian revealed nothing new about the injury, but did confirm that Sinner will be absent for the rest of the current campaign.

“Me, together with the doctors, have decided that I need a course of treatment for my knee, which means that the 2026 season is officially over.

“I also need to think about my long-term career so I will do everything possible to get back 100 percent.”

The 25-year-old’s top ATP ranking is now in serious danger from challenges from Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz.

The brief release added; “The decision has been made to have the treatment now to give Jannik the necessary time to recover before beginning preparations for 2027.”

Main photo:- Jannik Sinner hasn’t played since winning Wimbledon 2026 title – by Roger Parker ISF Ltd

Novak Djokovic advanced to his seventh final in Beijing on Monday as opponent Daniil Medvedev earned a disqualificaion late in their second set after accidentally striking a spectator as he hit a ball into the crowd,

The incident and on-the-spot sanction echoed Djokovic’s own DQ at the 2020 USO when he struck a lineswoman in the throat in similar circumstances and was tossed out of the event in the fourth round..

 The 39-year-old Serb became the oldest finalist in ATP history with his 7-5, 5-3 win which took two and a half hours of hard hitting from both men; he has never lost at the tournament, compiling a 33-0 record for six titles.

.”The end was a bit of a shock, though I didn’t see what happened,” the 24-time Grand Slam champion, now into his 146th ATP final, said.”I feel worried for the person (apparently hit around the left eye area) and I also feel sorry for Dani..

“I know how it feels to be defaulted in a big match. I’m sure he did not do it intentionally.”

Djokovic, his physical resources stretched repeatedly to the lit in a battle of near-perfect groundstrokes, set the tone for the evening in the capital as he saved three break points in a monster eight-minute opening game before coming from a break down against Medvedev.

The Serb earned two more breaks to steal the set on his third chance after 80 minutes.

Djokovic held to start the second, breaking for a 4-2 lead but frustratingly dropping serve a game later. He broke straight back for a 5-3 lead when the Medvedev incident occured to end the match prematurely.

“I was three points from victory and did not want to take this to a third set.. I saved so many break points (16 of 18)

“It’s always a battle with him… but we move on

Djokovic and Medvedev had not met since the 2023 US Open final won by the Ser
Djokovic will play the Tuesday final against Alex de Minaur, who reached the title match when opponent Hubert Hurkacz retired with an abdominal injury to hand over a 6-4, 3-2 victory to the Australia

Djokovic, playing his first event since losing in the US Open first round for the only time in his career, stands 5-1 against De Minaur, with their last two meetings coming at Wimbledon

“I always believed in myself,” Djokovic said. “My draw was not very favourable (in Beijing). I had tough matches from the beginning.

“To make a run to the final is sweet. Another final here is something… Beijing just keeps me going.”

Main photo:-Djokovic reaches 7th Beijing final as Medvedev DQ’d – by ATPTour.com