Carlos Alcaraz v Taylor Fritz live: Japan Open final latest score and updates

Alcaraz takes the game with a lovely inside-out dropshot winner. He’s played four stunning shots within the first two games of the match.

Fritz goes aggressive on 30-30, hitting hard to Alcaraz’s backhand and finding some success dragging him from side to side.

It brings up an early break point for Fritz…. Alcaraz saves with a backhand winner down the line! Lovely from Alcaraz as he leans into it and guides the winner.

Alcaraz is still playing with some strapping around his left ankle but scorches his first winner of the final with an inside-in forehand down the line.

Fritz lands his first ace but follows it with a double-fault, but the American holds from 30-30 as Alcaraz is pushed long on the forehand.

Fritz wins the toss and will serve first.

No other choice for the American given how well he has served this week.

We’ve got a full house in Tokyo for the Japan Open final, which will be getting underway very shortly once the players walk out onto court.

Carlos Alcaraz has 66 ATP Tour wins this season including a 51-3 run since April, but Taylor Fritz is second for tour wins with 49 this year.

The American has as many hard-court wins this season as Alcaraz, with 33 each, but is through to his first hard-court final of the year after titles at Eastbourne and Stuttgart.

He leads the ATP Tour for aces this season and hit 13 in his semi-final win over Jenson Brooksby.

Carlos Alcaraz has reached his 10th final of the season and is aiming for his eighth title of the year against Taylor Fritz.

The Spaniard becomes just the fifth man to reach 10 finals in a season since 2000, after Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray.

Federer did it seven times – including four years in a row between 2004 and 2007. Djokovic and Nadal did it five times each, while Murray achieved the feat in his 2016 season.

“At the Laver Cup against me, against Alexander Zverev and in this tournament … he’s feeling great and really comfortable on the court, so I’ll try to change a few things. Obviously the speed of the court and everything is different.

“It’s going to be another challenge for me but I’m excited about it and I will try to take the good things I’ve done today and the good things I did in San Francisco … it’s going to be an interesting match and I’m excited about playing it.”

World number one Carlos Alcaraz recovered from a slow start to beat Casper Ruud 3-6 6-3 6-4 and reach the Japan Open final where he will meet second seed Taylor Fritz with the chance to claim his eighth title of the year.

Alcaraz will also be seeking revenge in Tuesday’s clash in Tokyo after a shock defeat by Fritz at the Laver Cup in San Francisco this month, his first loss to the American in four career meetings.

Alcaraz leads the head-to-head 3-1, but Fritz won their last meeting at the Laver Cup, winning 6-3 6-2 in San Fransisco.

2025, Laver Cup (U.S.A.) Hard, RR, Fritz won 6-3 6-2

2025, Wimbledon (Great Britain), Grass, SF, Alcaraz won 6-4 5-7 6-3 7-6(6)

2024, Laver Cup (Germany), Hard, RR, Alcaraz won 6-2 7-5

2023, Miami (U.S.A.), Hard, QF, Alcaraz won 6-4 6-2