Carlos Alcaraz continued his dominant run in 2025 by securing his seventh title of the year with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Taylor Fritz in the Japan Open final. Despite a rocky start to the tournament, having injured his left ankle in the opening round, Alcaraz showed his resilience and world-class tennis to take home the trophy.
The match itself was a display of Alcaraz’s exceptional movement and aggressive baseline play, which outclassed Fritz, the world No. 4 and second seed. Fritz, who had triumphed over Alcaraz the previous week at the Laver Cup, struggled with his physical condition during the final. After an early break in the first set, Fritz began to show signs of discomfort in his left thigh, forcing him to call for a medical timeout. As the match progressed, it became clear that Fritz’s movement was severely hampered, and he was unable to maintain his attacking momentum.
Alcaraz, who had entered the tournament with an uncertain future due to the ankle injury, gradually found his rhythm despite the pain. His forehand, arguably the most lethal shot on the ATP Tour right now, proved too much for Fritz to handle. Even when Fritz made a late push in the second set, fighting back from 1-5 to 4-5, Alcaraz remained calm, closing out the match with three consecutive drop-shot winners, sealing his seventh title of the season.
With a 66-6 record for the year, including victories on all three surfaces, Alcaraz has firmly established himself as the best player in the world. His win in Tokyo marks his eighth title of 2025 and his 24th career ATP title. The victory also helps Alcaraz reaffirm his dominance after years of questions about his consistency.
Following the win, Alcaraz announced he would withdraw from the Shanghai Masters to allow time for rest and recovery, citing physical concerns. Despite this, his 2025 season remains one of the most impressive in recent memory, with his ability to bounce back from injury showcasing his mental and physical strength.
