Carlos Alcaraz had to work for this one. The Spanish tennis star defeated Alex Michelsen 7–6, 4–6, 6–1 at the Japan Open, turning a close contest into a commanding final set.

As Wendi Oliveros reports for The Big Lead, via Yahoo Sports, Michelsen’s willingness to attack the net helped push the opening set to a tiebreak. The American then took the second, forcing Alcaraz to find another gear.

He did exactly that, pulling away in the decider. For fans following his return to competitive rhythm, the result offers an encouraging glimpse of the shot-making and energy that make him such a compelling player to watch.

Source: The Big Lead, syndicated by Yahoo Sports. Original author: Wendi Oliveros, October 1, 2026.

Archival photograph: Carlos Alcaraz at Roland Garros in 2024. Photo: Vegafi / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0. This is not a photograph of the Tokyo match.