Spaniard Carlos Alcarras retained; Ranked third in the world, he won the title of champion of the “Tokyo Tennis Tournament - 500 Points Category” by defeating Czech Jiri Lehiczka 19: 7 - 6, 6 - 4 yesterday in the final match, while Serbian Novak Djokovic, ranked 11th in the world, won the “Beijing Championship” in China, after his Australian competitor, Alex de Minaur, withdrew. 9, in the final match at the beginning of the second group.
In Japan, Alkaras, 23 years old, succeeded in clinching his first title since winning the “Doha Tournament - 500 Points Category” title in mid-February, confirming his recovery from an injury that lasted more than 4 months and hampered him greatly this season.
The Spaniard played the “Tokyo Tournament” as only his third participation since his return from injury, after reaching the quarter-finals of the “US Open” and participating in the “Laver Cup.”
Alkaras said after the difficult victory over Lehička: “You have a lot of negative thoughts, and you wonder whether you will come back completely healthy, and whether you will be able to regain your previous level.”
He added: “I had many thoughts, but I always tried to push them away. My team and I knew that when I returned; “I will be 100 percent healthy, and if I feel anything, it will not be anything to worry about.”
This is the third title for Alkaras this year, after he also won the Australian Open Championship. The first Grand Slam, and the 27th in his professional career. The final came hours after world number one Italian Jannik Sinner announced that his season would end early due to a persistent knee injury.
Alkaras entered the final match with a 3-1 lead over Lehička, who was seeking to win his first title this season, and succeeded in consolidating his superiority despite fierce resistance from the Czech.
Alkaras is scheduled to participate in the “Shanghai Thousand Points Masters Tournament,” which begins today, from which he withdrew last year at the last minute after also winning the “Tokyo” title, justifying that with “physical problems.” He also criticized the crowded calendar in the world of tennis at the time.
In the Chinese capital, Djokovic won the 102nd title in his career, after his Australian competitor, Alex de Minaur, withdrew. 9th seed, beginning of the second set of the final match yesterday.
Djokovic had won the first set 7-6, and trailed 1-0 in the second before De Minaur announced his withdrawal.
The first group witnessed a physical battle that lasted more than an hour, and the two players needed two periods of treatment before the start of the second.
The Serbian did not score; Holder of 24 Grand Slam titles, any title since the “Athens Tournament (250 points)” in November 2025.
Djokovic is now one title away from Swiss Roger Federer's tally of 103 titles, and 6 titles away from American Jimmy Connors' record (109), and he also won his 7th title in Beijing with his 7th participation in the tournament.
Djokovic said: “I always make sure to imagine myself holding the cup, especially here in (Beijing). But I was also fully aware that reality is a little different these days,” he said, adding that he had had a difficult year due to “physical and health problems.” He explained: “I was just trying to get back the good feeling on the field.”
