Carlos Alcaraz continues to roll on at the Japan Open, but it certainly wasn't smooth sailing for the World No.3 who had to come through three sets to seal his path.
Alcaraz is into back-to-back Japan Open finals after taking down Jaume Munar in what was a 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 win for the former World No.1 who is playing Tokyo this week over China which features now a potential final between De Minaur and Djokovic.
For Alcaraz, it will be either Jiri Lehecka or Valentin Vacherot in the final who face off shortly. In the two hour 33 minute epic between the pair, Alcaraz semi started the brighter of the two. He was behind early, but he managed to wrestle back momentum and went 4-3 up with a break of serve.
He went 5-3 up and looked to be on the verge of the opening set, but it fell apart in the all Spanish battle as Alcaraz was broken at the final hurdle when he was serving for the opening set. It was suddenly 5-5 and Munar managed to go 6-5 up and turn the tide. The hit back was complete as Munar managed to seal the opening set 7-5 quite emphatically not losing a point for three games in a row.
BACK in the Tokyo Final 😤🔥 #japanopentennis https://t.co/c66PlrA0Vo
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 5, 2026
How Alcaraz did it
Back came Alcaraz though. He managed to break for 2-1 and then held for 3-1. He held for 4-2 and then broke again for 6-3 to seal the set.
Final set was more emphatic as he managed to break for 2-0 after a protracted set which saw him have three bites of the cherry to try and break before he managed to get over the line for 2-0. He held for 3-0 and then broke for 4-0 more emphatically this time which basically decided the piece. He managed to hold two more times to shut down the Munar charge and move through.
The final now awaits tomorrow and for Alcaraz, it could be another title in his collection.
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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