ATP Japan Open Draw: Carlos Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz on collision course after Laver Cup clash

Ewan West 22 Sep 2025 12:00 PM

Pictured L-R: Carlos Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz.

ATP Tour stars Carlos Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz.

The draw for the 2025 Japan Open men’s singles tournament has been made, and Carlos Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz could be set for a rematch after their Laver Cup clash.

There are 32 players in the draw at the ATP 500 event in Tokyo, with eight seeds and no byes. The seeds are: Alcaraz (1), Fritz (2), Holger Rune (3), Casper Ruud (4), Tomas Machac (5), Ugo Humbert (6), Denis Shapovalov (7) and Frances Tiafoe (8).

Arthur Fils was the 2024 Japan Open champion, but he was forced to withdraw from the event due to a back injury. Jack Draper, Ben Shelton, Jiri Lehecka and Alexei Popyrin also pulled out having entered.

Alcaraz won the China Open in the same week of the calendar last year, but he chose to play in Tokyo instead of Beijing this week.

The world No 1 competed at the Laver Cup last week, posting a 1-1 record in singles and a 2-0 record in doubles as Team Europe lost 9-15 to Team World. Prior to that, the Spanish star claimed his sixth Grand Slam title at the US Open.

Alcaraz, who is making his debut in Japan, will take on world No 41 Sebastian Baez — against whom he holds a 2-0 record — in the opening round.

The world No 1 is then due to face either Zizou Bergs or Alejandro Tabilo in the second round, before a potential last eight meeting with eighth seed Tiafoe. Ruud and Shapovalov are the two seeded players Alcaraz could face in the semi-finals in Tokyo.

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If he reaches the championship match, Alcaraz could take on any of Fritz, Rune, Machac and Humbert — all of whom are in the bottom half of the draw.

Fritz inspired Team World to victory at the Laver Cup by collecting five points for his two singles wins against Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev.

The American will start his Tokyo campaign against Gabriel Diallo and faces a potential second round showdown with Yosuke Watanuki or Nuno Borges, before a possible quarter-final matchup against No 5 seed Tomas Machac.

The world No 5 is projected to meet either third seed Rune or sixth seed Humbert in the last four.

Tokyo’s time to shine

The 2025 @japanopentennis singles draw

Who’s making it to the final? pic.twitter.com/wQvHETIwHV

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) September 22, 2025