Carlos Alcaraz booked his place in the semifinals of the Japan Open when Denis Shapovalov was forced to retire due to a thigh injury early in their quarterfinal clash. The Canadian had been giving Alcaraz a real test with his mix of deep shots and delicate drops, but had to stop after hurting his upper leg in the second set. The Spanish top seed, who is defending his title, will now take on compatriot Jaume Munar for a final berth. Munar earned his shot by beating Kyrian Jacquet in straight sets. Elsewhere, Valentin Vacherot fought back to defeat Arthur Fils in three sets, and Jiri Lehecka cruised past Daniel Vallejo in a dominant performance. Alcaraz, still finding his feet after a long break from a wrist injury, showed great grit by saving set points again, proving he’s back in business.
