Carlos Alcaraz impressed in his second round win against Matteo Arnaldi at the Japan Open.
Alcaraz beat Alex Michelsen in three sets in the first round of his Tokyo title defence, and he was forced to overcome another scare against Arnaldi.
After facing four set points in the first set tie-break, Alcaraz fought back to beat Arnaldi 7-6(6), 6-1.
Former US Open finalist Greg Rusedski was watching this match closely as he was commentating live on Sky Sports, and he gave his verdict on whether Alcaraz is now back to his best after recently returning from his wrist injury.
Greg Rusedski does not believe Carlos Alcaraz is at his best just yet
Alcaraz spent nearly five months on the sidelines due to a right wrist injury he suffered during the clay court season. The Spaniard returned at the US Open, where Alcaraz lost to Ben Shelton in the quarter-finals, before playing a key role at the Laver Cup and now competing at the Japan Open in Tokyo.
When reacting to Alcaraz’s latest win at the Japan Open, Rusedski claimed that Arnaldi looked very disappointed after missing his chances to take the first set. Rusedski believes that Alcaraz is getting better every match, but is not quite at his best just yet.
“He [Arnaldi] looks very disappointed, probably wants to get off that court,” said Rusedski. “He’s probably thinking about those set points in the first set, how well he played to be winning that first set.
“Alcaraz all of a sudden put on the after burners, changed his tactics and went from strength to strength. Still not at his best, but he’s getting closer with each match win.”
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The quarter-finals will see Alcaraz take on former top 10 player Denis Shapovalov, as Rusedski told the Canadian to take a lot of risks against the seven-time Grand Slam champion.
“Carlos is working his way into form,” Rusedski continued. “He’s been tested in his opening two matches, but it’s going to be difficult for Denis, but he can play with the house money and take a lot of risks.”
Alcaraz has played Shapovalov twice before, winning both of those previous encounters in straight sets.
Carlos Alcaraz can match Pete Sampras and Stefan Edberg record at the Japan Open this year
With Alcaraz winning the Japan Open on his tournament debut last year, he will now be hoping to defend his title in Tokyo.
Only two ATP players have defended the Japan Open title before in the tournament’s 54-year history, with Alcaraz hoping to now join two tennis legends.
Stefan Edberg won four Japan Open titles in his career, more than any player in history, and three of those title victories came in back-to-back years. Edberg is the only player who has won three Japan Open titles in consecutive years, but Pete Sampras also defended his title in 1994, before going on to win a third title in Tokyo in 1996.
| ATP players who have defended the Japan Open title | Years they won the Japan Open back-to-back |
| Stefan Edberg | 1989-91 |
| Pete Sampras | 1993-94 |
Alcaraz will be attempting to join these names, but he is still three wins away from doing so, with Arthur Fils and Valentin Vacherot both still remaining in the other half of the draw.
Shapovalov will be the current focus of Alcaraz, with the winner of this quarter-final match taking on either Jaume Munar or Kyrian Jacquet in the Japan Open semi-finals.
