Alcaraz rallies from 16-point deficit to reach Japan Open final

Carlos Alcaraz, the third-ranked player and defending champion, advanced to the Japan Open final on Monday after overcoming a significant early collapse against fellow Spaniard Jaume Munar. Playing in his first final since returning from a 4½-month right wrist injury, Alcaraz lost 16 consecutive points at the end of the first set and start of the second before recovering to win 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 in the semifinal. The 23-year-old, who completed a career Grand Slam at the Australian Open in February before sustaining the wrist injury two months later, has been wearing a compression sleeve on his right arm since his late-August return.

Alcaraz appeared to control the opening set at 5-4 before consecutive double faults and unforced errors handed the set to Munar. After dropping the first two points of the second set, Alcaraz regained composure and broke serve in the opening game, from which point he dominated the match with aggressive shot-making. "I don't know what happened in the first set," Alcaraz said afterward. "It seems that I'm struggling in every first set. ... But I've come back every time and I'm really happy about it."

In Tuesday's final, Alcaraz will face 19th-ranked Jiri Lehecka, who defeated Monaco's Valentin Vacherot 6-4, 6-2 in the other semifinal. The 24-year-old Czech player, on a six-match winning streak that includes victories in both singles matches for Czech Republic in Davis Cup qualifying, is seeking his third ATP title overall and first of the season. Alcaraz leads their head-to-head record 3-1, with their most recent meeting at last year's US Open.

Alcaraz is targeting his first title defence at the Japan Open since winning the tournament on his debut last year, aiming to become the first man to defend the Tokyo title since Pete Sampras in 1993-94. His path to the final marks a significant milestone in his comeback, as he has not reached a final since his loss to Jannik Sinner at the Monte Carlo Masters in April. His US Open quarterfinal run in late August, ending in a loss to Ben Shelton in a match that concluded at 3:33 a.m., had signalled a swift return to competitive form following the injury layoff.