Tokyo, Oct. 6 -- After an injury-ridden 2026 season, Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz went back to winning ways, defeating Jiri Lehecka to defend his Japan Open Tennis Championships title on Tuesday.

Alcaraz, the world number three, outclassed Lehecka 7-6(4), 6-4 in the final of the hard-court ATP 500 tournament in Tokyo. The multi-time Grand Slammer was kept on his toes by a valiant Lehecka, but Alcaraz had moments of brilliance that helped him earn his first tour-level title since February, back in Doha.

"I am really happy to be able to lift a trophy again," Alcaraz said as quoted by ATP's official website, missing the action between Barcelona in April and the US Open in late August due to a wrist injury. "It has been a while, and obv...