Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz moved into the semifinals of the Japan Open in Tokyo on Sunday after Denis Shapovalov was forced to retire with an injury early in the second set of their quarterfinal.
Alcaraz, the top seed, led 7-6 (3), 2-1 when the Canadian called a halt after 82 minutes of a match that had swung repeatedly through a tightly contested opening set.
A chaotic first set
The opening set featured six breaks of serve, with Shapovalov looking poised to take it after moving 5-3 ahead. The Canadian even earned a set point on Alcaraz's serve at 5-4, but the world number three produced a drop shot to save it, then dominated the tie-break, winning seven of the final eight points to close it out.
"It was a little bit frustrating with my serve. I couldn't find a good way of serving: I was struggling almost every game on serve," Alcaraz said. "But I'm just happy with the way I came back after every break. It was a great first set: great points, great rallies."
Alcaraz dropped serve three times in the first set and was broken to love when serving for it at 6-5, before finally seizing control in the breaker.
Injury ends the contest
The turning point came at the start of the second set, when Shapovalov appeared to suffer a hip problem while stretching for a forehand on the first point. He took an off-court medical timeout after the opening game, returned briefly, but was unable to continue.
"It's a shame that he had to pull out," Alcaraz said. "Going through to a semi-final like this is not the way I wanted, but sometimes sports are tough. You have to accept it. Hopefully he's going to be able to play in Shanghai healthy."
After the win, the Spaniard signed the camera lens with the message "Be back soon, Denis."
Alcaraz, playing only his third event since returning from a months-long wrist injury, has now won eight straight matches in Tokyo. He will face fellow Spaniard Jaume Munar — a qualifier who reached his first ATP Tour semifinal since Basel last October — for a place in the final. In the other semifinal, Valentin Vacherot, who upset Arthur Fils, takes on Jiri Lehecka.
Sources:
Reuters: Alcaraz reaches Japan Open semi-finals after Shapovalov retires
AFP: Alcaraz through to Japan Open semis
IANS: Alcaraz reaches Tokyo semi-finals after Shapovalov retires
Alcaraz, the top seed, led 7-6 (3), 2-1 when the Canadian called a halt after 82 minutes of a match that had swung repeatedly through a tightly contested opening set.
A chaotic first set
The opening set featured six breaks of serve, with Shapovalov looking poised to take it after moving 5-3 ahead. The Canadian even earned a set point on Alcaraz's serve at 5-4, but the world number three produced a drop shot to save it, then dominated the tie-break, winning seven of the final eight points to close it out.
"It was a little bit frustrating with my serve. I couldn't find a good way of serving: I was struggling almost every game on serve," Alcaraz said. "But I'm just happy with the way I came back after every break. It was a great first set: great points, great rallies."
Alcaraz dropped serve three times in the first set and was broken to love when serving for it at 6-5, before finally seizing control in the breaker.
Injury ends the contest
The turning point came at the start of the second set, when Shapovalov appeared to suffer a hip problem while stretching for a forehand on the first point. He took an off-court medical timeout after the opening game, returned briefly, but was unable to continue.
"It's a shame that he had to pull out," Alcaraz said. "Going through to a semi-final like this is not the way I wanted, but sometimes sports are tough. You have to accept it. Hopefully he's going to be able to play in Shanghai healthy."
After the win, the Spaniard signed the camera lens with the message "Be back soon, Denis."
Alcaraz, playing only his third event since returning from a months-long wrist injury, has now won eight straight matches in Tokyo. He will face fellow Spaniard Jaume Munar — a qualifier who reached his first ATP Tour semifinal since Basel last October — for a place in the final. In the other semifinal, Valentin Vacherot, who upset Arthur Fils, takes on Jiri Lehecka.
Sources:
Reuters: Alcaraz reaches Japan Open semi-finals after Shapovalov retires
AFP: Alcaraz through to Japan Open semis
IANS: Alcaraz reaches Tokyo semi-finals after Shapovalov retires
