Carlos Alcaraz is on fire in 2025, but unfinished business lingers. We’ve seen the Spaniard battle in five finals against the No.1 Italian, but another threat looms close – Taylor Fritz. Just last week, the American stunned Alcaraz at the Laver Cup, winning his first match against him in straight sets. Alcaraz didn’t hide his intentions, though.

Later in the press conference, Carlos Alcaraz looked satisfied after his absorbing battle with Casper Ruud. He admitted, “I didn’t take my chances in the first set.” But those eyes remain locked in for the final against Fritz. “He (Fritz) is a very tough player to face, he has evolved a lot. I came here after losing to him in San Francisco, I trained with him on the first day, and I think that practice gave me good feedback on how I should approach the match.” A clear warning: he’s not underestimating the American.

After his quarterfinal win against America’s Brandon Nakashima, he said, “I’m just trying not to let the American’s go further.” Now, the battle shifts to the Japan Open final. A bigger stage. Points and a title on the line. Does he really have to worry, though? He still leads the H2H, but he knows Fritz is a danger. “So, I will play my best tomorrow. I will come up with a plan to beat him. His level is very high right now.” True words have never been spoken. 

World No.5 Taylor Fritz is charging forward with his chin up. The Californian is about to bump back to No.4 after dethroning Novak Djokovic. He was a key player in Team World’s Laver Cup victory. His season picked up in Miami with a semifinal run, then his grass game caught fire. He won the Stuttgart and Eastbourne trophies. Later, he had his first-ever Wimbledon semifinal in July.

Fritz stormed past Gabriel Diallo, Nuno Borges, Sebastian Korda, and Jenson Brooksby at the Japan Open. He’s already won this event in 2022, as that experience could be helpful. Carlos Alcaraz knows it won’t be straightforward. He put it best himself: “He’s very solid, aggressive, and full of confidence. I’m looking forward to the challenge, we’ll see how it goes tomorrow.” Considering Alcaraz’s 2025 form, there’s only one winner.

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Earning two majors in the bag, the world no.1 had to dig deep against Casper Ruud. He dropped the opening set but found his rhythm, rallying back strong. The score: 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in two hours and eight minutes, notching his personal-best 66th win this season. He refused to slow down despite nursing an ankle injury from the first round. He battled through and booked his ticket to the final. In a debut run in Tokyo, he swept Baez, Bergs, Nakashima, and Ruud.

Now, he stands in his ninth consecutive tour-level final. That streak mirrors his idol, Rafael Nadal, who reached the same milestone in 2013. History echoes in Tokyo – just the way Alcaraz likes it. On the other side, Fritz isn’t shying away either. The American has his own message for Carlos. Let the games begin!

Carlos Alcaraz receives a cheeky, unintentional message from Taylor Fritz

Earlier today, Fritz brushed aside fellow American Jenson Brooksby 6-4, 6-3 in a neat hour and a half to book his spot in the final. It’s a chance at a third trophy this season, and from the look of things, Fritz isn’t just here; he’s brimming with belief and itching to back it up against the elite.

Not long after sealing the win, Tennis TV had fans buzzing with a clip on X. Taylor grabbed the golden marker and scrawled three bold words on the camera: “Nah, I’d win.” The post, cheekily captioned the same way with a flexing emoji, lit up quickly. Within minutes, Fritz reshared himself with a wry twist: “Can already see myself about getting roasted by the people that don’t get it 😪.”

The meaning? Easy for anime fans. Fritz has shown his love for the Japanese manga and anime Jujutsu Kaisen before, even flashing the main character, Gojo’s, trademark hand sign on court. In the series, when Gojo is asked how he would do against a fearsome sorcerer, he coolly says, “Nah, I’d win.” That line has since gone viral, and Fritz clearly channeled that vibe.

Now, it’s Carlos Alcaraz waiting across the net. Will he take down the No.1 American at the Japan Open to win his eighth season title? Share your thoughts below!