Tokyo (AFP) - Spaniard Carlos Alcarras, ranked third in the world, qualified for the quarter-finals of the Tokyo tournament (500 points category) on Saturday, after defeating Italian Matteo Arnaldi 7-6 (8-6) and 6-1, after saving four shots to decide the first set in favor of his opponent.
Published on: 03/10/2026 - 13:22
The defending champion was trailing 2-6 in the tie-break of the first set, but he succeeded in turning the tide thanks to his offensive style and a little luck, eventually clinching the opening set after an hour and 13 minutes.
Alkaras said after the match: “Was it a difficult situation? Yes, but it was not over yet, and I tried to stay in the atmosphere of the match and see if I could save all those set balls. Playing very good points from 6-6 in the set tiebreak also helped me.”
Until that moment, the 23-year-old Spaniard seemed to lack rhythm and accuracy, while committing a number of direct errors.
But with Arnaldi's morale declining and Alcarras regaining his confidence, the features of the match changed completely, as the Spaniard continued to win points and games before deciding the match with a successful crushing strike about half an hour later.
The former world number one explained: “At the end of the first set, I realized that when I was playing very fast, he felt more comfortable with his movements from the baseline. So I simply tried to play at a slower pace and lengthen the exchanges. Thanks to that, I felt the ball better, and I began to feel more comfortable. I also forced him to think a little more when trying to finish the point or play in an attacking style. Then things became difficult for him.”
He added: "I am very happy with this two-set win. It saved some energy for the next match, and this is very important."
On Sunday, Alkaras will meet Canadian Denis Shapovalov, ranked 46th in the world, for a place in the semi-finals.
The Canadian struggled to overcome Chilean Alejandro Tabelo, ranked 31st in the world, at the opening of Saturday’s competitions, with a score of 7-5, 3-6, 6-4.
Alkaras admitted after his first-round victory on Thursday over American Alex Mikkelsen that he had difficulty “adapting” to the main outdoor court in Tokyo, which he considered “a little slower” than the indoor court in the O2 Arena in London, where he played the Laver Cup between September 25 and 27.
Alkaras is participating in Tokyo in his third tournament since returning from injury. He was sidelined due to an injury to his right wrist between April and the end of August, before returning to action at the US Open, where he was eliminated in the quarter-finals.
© 2026 AFP
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