Carlos Alcaraz rallies from tie-break trouble to reach Tokyo quarter-finals

The defending champion recovered from a 6-2 deficit in the first-set tie-break to win 7-6(6), 6-1 and maintain his bid for a second straight title in Japan.

Alcaraz had taken an early 2-0 lead but allowed Arnaldi back into the set before finding himself four points from dropping it. The Spaniard saved all four set points, including with a backhand winner and a drive-volley winner, before eventually taking the set after a thrilling rally ended with a backhand smash.

"When you are down 6/2 in a tie-break, you are thinking about doing something different," Alcaraz said. "Then you are trying to be better in the second set... I just tried to stay there, point after point. I changed how I played until that moment and it worked out. Just happy that I got that first set."

The dramatic escape appeared to shift the momentum firmly in Alcaraz's favour. He raised his level in the second set, found greater consistency from the baseline and broke Arnaldi twice to pull away for victory.

The win extends Alcaraz's unbeaten run at the Japan Open to seven matches following his title-winning debut at the tournament last year.

He will face Denis Shapovalov in the quarter-finals after the Canadian defeated Alejandro Tabilo 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 earlier on Saturday.

Shapovalov's victory saw him reach the quarter-finals of a top-level tournament for the 50th time in his career.

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