Carlos Alcaraz is trying to become the first player to successfully defend the title at the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships since Pete Sampras in 1994 this week in Tokyo.
The Spaniard helped guide Team Europe to victory against Team World in the Laver Cup last week and now returns to court in Tokyo on Thursday when he faces Alex Michelsen, Not Before 4 p.m. JST/ 9 a.m. CEST, 3 a.m. ET on Colosseum.
The 23-year-old Alcaraz has never faced Michelsen, who arrives off a career-best major result at the US Open, having reached the quarter-finals before losing to Frances Tiafoe. Alcaraz advanced to the same stage as Michelsen in New York and fell to Ben Shelton.
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Alcaraz dropped just one set en route to the title last year in Tokyo, beating Taylor Fritz in the final. The No. 3 player in the PIF ATP Rankings is chasing his third trophy of the season, highlighted by completing the Career Grand Slam at the Australian Open.
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