Carlos Alcaraz has hardly been tested during his last three matches despite tweaking his ankle in his opening match against Sebastian Baez to reach the semi-finals in Tokyo, without dropping a set.
But I think just even last week, being able to beat Carlos and Sasha (Zverev, the world No.3) in back-to-back matches, obviously it’s not at a Grand Slam but I think that just does a lot for my belief that I can also do it in a big tournament Taylor Fritz
By all accounts it was a comfortable run without any visible signs of ankle problems with any queries about it, being immediately dismissed.
However, there were signs that the injury was more than a discomfort when he faced Casper Ruud for a place in the final, with the Norwegian immediately putting the Spaniard under pressure by deploying continuous top spin with excessive angles, thereby testing his overall fitness, a tactic which proved an excellent ploy as he captured the opening set.
Alcaraz’ response, as expected from the world No.1, was to reassess the problem and adopt a more aggressive and risk-taking approach to turn the momentum around and stride into the final by securing a 3-6 6-3 6-4 victory after two hours and 8-minutes.
Once Alcaraz had levelled the match, he opened up his bag of tricks to produce some remarkable shot-making as he scurried about the court freely, proving that there were no problems with that ankle.
However, when he faces Taylor Fritz in the final, the American will more than likely, try to exploit that possible weakness.
“Today was a very tough match,” Alcaraz admitted. “I couldn’t take the opportunities in the first set.
“Emotionally it was really, really tough to deal with everything today but I’m just really happy to be able to turn everything around. I’m excited to be playing in another final.”
Seeded two, Fritz powered his way into the final by dispatching his compatriot Jenson Brooksby 6-4 6-3 in what was his easiest win of the week.
Taylor Fritz keepshis fingers crossed as he makes the final
(Photo by Koji Watanabe/Getty Images)
Fritz, the world No.5 and former Tokyo champion, fired 13 aces past Brooksby as he beat him for the third time this year.
The match swung in Fritz’s favour when he broke Brooksby at 5-4 to win the first set and then early tin he second to take control, finishing it off after 90-minutes with his 13th ace.
“Honestly, just by botting,” Fritz said when asked how he achievd sucha comfortable win . “I served insanely well: High percentage first serves and spots too. It felt like any game that I didn’t hit three aces, he was really outplaying me from the baseline. I was able to hang in on my serve and then capitalise on that scoreboard pressure. My serve got me through it.”
The result of the two semis means a high-quality final can be expected, as both players have an axe to grind. It is also the first time since 2011 that the two top seeds have met in the final
Alcaraz, chasing his eighth title in nine finals of the season, wants to avenge his Laver Cup loss to Fritz while the American is keen to challenge the Spaniard’s (and Jannik Sinner’s) dominance of the game.
That win in San Francisco was his first over Alcaraz in four matches and the momentum is currently with him which means a lot to the American
“I think for a while now I felt capable of it if the right things click and I play well,” Fritz said earlier in the week at the Tokyo’s Ariake Colosseum,
“But I think just even last week, being able to beat Carlos and Sasha (Zverev, the world No.3) in back-to-back matches, obviously it’s not at a Grand Slam but I think that just does a lot for my belief that I can also do it in a big tournament.
“I’m someone who always said that if I feel like once I do something once, for me just mentally it feels much easier to repeat it and do it again.
“And yes, it’s not like we just played in the finals of a Masters or a Slam but even so, I felt a lot of nerves and pressure throughout the match and to me it felt like a big match.
“I think doing that, it does give me the belief that at another time, I will be able to do it.”
The pair meet on Tuesday to decide the outcome.
AloJapan.com