Carlos Alcaraz Defeats Taylor Fritz to Win Japan Open Title

Alcaraz was not the only player battling injuries, as Fritz called two medical timeouts to receive treatment on his left thigh. Both players tallied six aces and three double faults. However, Alcaraz broke Fritz 3/9 times compared to Fritz going 1/3 in break point opportunities.

Today's victory in Tokyo marks Alcaraz's 24th career title. Moreover, it is a continuation of his dominant run this season.

He leads the ATP with 67 wins and eight trophies. Since losing to Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon, Alcaraz has followed it up with three consecutive tour-level titles (Cincinnati Masters, U.S. Open, and the Japan Open).

Fritz, who has reason to be frustrated with constantly playing second fiddle to the younger generation, was gracious in defeat. Fritz said of Alcaraz, "He's the best player in the world for a reason, and he's also a great guy."

Alcaraz's confidence is booming, and it was evident in his post-match remarks. "It's been my best season so far without a doubt. Eight titles, 10 finals… That shows how hard I've worked just to be able to experience these moments and accomplish my goals," said Alcaraz.

"I didn't start the year that good, struggling emotionally, so how I came back from that, I'm just really proud of myself, and of all the people around me who have helped me to be in this position."

Alcaraz said of his Tokyo campaign, "I enjoyed every single second, [apart from] the five minutes I was on the floor after I hurt my ankle. I'm really happy with the level that I played, with everything. Starting the week not good with the ankle, and the way that I came back from that, I'm just really happy about it."

Alcaraz improves to 67-7 with eight singles titles, with the latest winning adding 500 rankings points to his narrow lead over Sinner. Meanwhile, Fritz falls to 47-18, having won two titles this year. Both players will have a quick turnaround before the Shanghai Masters starts later this week.