The top 5 favorites to win the Japan Open 2024

This week two 500 category tournaments will be played in the ATP, one in China and the other in Japan. They mark the continuation of the Asian tour, which started a few days ago. In this article we are going to talk about the one played in Tokyo, highlighting the main favorites to win the title and other candidates that could cause a surprise.

Taylor Fritz

Champion of the 2022 edition, he has an extremely complicated draw. He will start against Arthur Fils, a player who has a chance to beat him. Then, he could chain with Matteo Berrettini and Ben Shelton before the semifinals. We all know that once in the penultimate round of an ATP 500, any match is difficult. However, he comes from being finalist of the US Open, from shining in the Laver Cup (except against Carlos Alcaraz) and is the best ranked player of the present, being the number 1 seed.

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Matteo Berrettini

He does not have such a complicated first round as Fritz, although he will face Alcaraz's executioner in the US Open, the Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp. But of course, after that, he will have exactly the same path as the American, so it will not be an easy task. The Italian is living his best season since 2022, with three ATP titles already conquered this year. He is also making a comeback in the rankings, he is 45th in the world and has the opportunity here to score more valuable points.

Ben Shelton

The defending champion. He lifted his first trophy last year in Tokyo after beating Russian Aslan Karatsev in the final. He could meet Fritz or Berrettini in the quarterfinals but he has two easier first rounds on paper to get into the rhythm of the competition and be able to reach the finals with more confidence. His serve and the surface on which the Japan Open is played are factors that make us think that he can revalidate the title.

Tommy Paul

He missed the Laver Cup due to injury but is one of the most reliable and consistent players on the circuit. After Fritz and Shelton, why not think that he could be the third different American to lift the trophy in Tokyo in a row. He has an a priori less complicated tour than his compatriots and this year he has tasted what it is to win an ATP 500.

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Frances Tiafoe

Another member of the North American squad with a chance of success. Finalist in 2022, losing precisely against Taylor Fritz in the title match, this time the story could be different. After a very complicated season, 'Big Foe' arrives after a semi-final at the US Open and a great performance at the Laver Cup. If he is willing and confident, he can beat any of the players present in the Japanese capital.

Other candidates

We could name many players in this section. Top seeds Hubert Hurkacz, Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Holger Rune are always men to watch out for. Jordan Thompson has already made some surprises, Marin Cilic is coming from winning his first tournament in 3 years, Felix Auger-Aliassime is an unknown quantity, Alexei Popyrin won the Canadian Open and Jack Draper is coming from a top level summer, especially with a semifinal at the US Open.