[Singles Semifinal]
Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) def. Jaume Munar (ESP), 5-7, 6-3, 6-1

■ Alcaraz showed two completely different sides in the first and second halves of the match. In the opening set, although he was trying to attack, there was little bite to his game. Toward the end, errors began to creep in, as if he had finally been worn down by his opponent's resilience. After taking a 5-3 lead, Alcaraz then lost four games in a row. Looking back on that collapse, he said, “I don't know what happened.” Even so, his game finally shifted into a higher gear around the third game of the second set when he broke serve. He went on to take the set 6-3, and in the deciding set, he won five straight games from the start to settle the outcome. The player on court at that point was the Alcaraz we all know so well.

■ Looking back on his play late in the first set, Alcaraz said, “My level was low.” Even while he was struggling to make sense of what was happening, he tried to regroup, telling himself that he “had to somehow hang in there.” With Munar playing extremely solid tennis, Alcaraz saw only one way out: “to play aggressively and hit hard, both the forehand and the backhand.” But it was not as if he suddenly came back to life. In the second set, immediately after breaking for a 2-1 lead, he had to fight through four deuces before managing to hold serve. It was through that process that he “gradually regained confidence,” and the score from the second set onward reflected that recovery.

■ The occasional signs that he has lost confidence, as well as some uncharacteristic errors, may be a consequence of the four-and-a-half-month layoff caused by his right wrist injury. Alcaraz is looking at the reality calmly: “I'm not back to the level I was at before. I want to find my way back.” He is particularly aware that there is still a significant gap between his current level and his best in terms of “consistency” and “being able to maintain a high level throughout a match and throughout a tournament.” Indeed, his form has fluctuated during matches at this tournament. Even so, the fact that he is continuing to win and gain more opportunities to compete is significant. “I'm gradually getting back to the point where I can maintain my consistency,” Alcaraz said. Once again, the word “gradually” stood out.

(Japan Tennis Association)