Fritz bests Tiafoe in Rakuten Japan Open tennis debut
Three years since the last Rakuten Japan Open, Tokyo has a new men’s tennis champion: On October 9, America’s Taylor Fritz bested compatriot Frances Tiafoe in a tight double-tiebreaker at Ariake Coliseum.
The week-long tournament brought together world-class men’s tennis talent such as world no. 2 and recent US Open finalist Casper Ruud of Norway; resurgent former Japan Open champion Nick Kyrgios of Australia; as well as wheelchair tennis maestro Shingo Kunieda of Japan.
And it wasn’t only the action on the court that delighted fans. Crowds were also treated to a number of on-site Rakuten events including a metaverse experience that invited visitors to imagine a sustainable future for sports by posting their wishes to an online platform.
Fans’ wishes sprouted as trees and animals in a metaverse displayed in the stadium dubbed the Forest of Wish, which fans could then share on social media for a chance to snag signed match balls from star players.
An all-American affair
Ultimately, it was the two American players, Fritz and Tiafoe, who took it all the way to the tournament’s final to battle it out for 500 ATP ranking points in front of a packed Ariake Coliseum. Both players are known for their attacking styles, and the matchup didn’t disappoint, with the crowd gasping as the two players sent the ball rocketing around the arena.
(Photo: Hiroshi Sato)
An early break from Tiafoe was immediately reversed by Fritz, who maintained the pressure for the remainder of the set. Tiafoe was forced to defend two set points with two epic rallies to take it to the tiebreak, which Fritz ultimately claimed for the first set.
The second set saw neither player concede a serve. Fritz looked comfortable during his games, while Tiafoe relied on his bullet-like serve to fend off numerous break-points and send the match into yet another tiebreak. There, Fritz took an early lead and never looked back, closing out the second set to secure the match 7-6(2), 7-6(3) and winning his first Rakuten Japan Open championship.
(Photo: Hiroshi Sato)
The win saw Fritz become the first male American singles champion in Tokyo since Pete Sampras in 1996, giving a glimmer of hope to American tennis fans who have been starved of success on the men’s side for much of the last two decades. As Japan Open champion, he joins the likes of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic.
The 500 points also catapulted Fritz to his best-ever ranking of world no. 8 – the first time an American player has entered the men’s top 10 since 2017. For Tiafoe, the loss was his fifth in succession against his compatriot. But after a strong semi-final run at the recent US Open, his performance in Tokyo also netted him a career high ranking of world no. 17.
Doubles dazzle, generations clash
The doubles final saw unseeded duo Mackenzie McDonald (USA) and Marcelo Melo (Brazil) take on third-seeds Rafael Matos (Brazil) and David Vega Hernandez (Spain). After a tense match tiebreak, McDonald and Melo closed the championship out 6-4, 3-6, 10-4.
(Photo: Hiroshi Sato)
The 2022 Rakuten Japan Open also marked the second time the men’s wheelchair championship took place – a title defended by local favorite Shingo Kunieda. With 28 Grand Slam titles and three Paralympic gold medals to his name – including last year in Tokyo – Kunieda is considered one of the all-time greats of the singles circuit.
38-year-old Kunieda once again made it to the Rakuten Japan Open final, where he faced another promising local star: 16-year-old Tokito Oda.
After trading a set each, Kunieda snatched a quick lead in the decider, serving for the championship at 5-1. But Oda wasn’t quite ready to give in, winning the next five games to set himself up to serve out the match from 6-5. Kunieda nevertheless clawed his way back to force a deciding tiebreaker, which the veteran took for a 6-3, 2-6, 7-6(3) win, and his second Rakuten Japan Open title.
(Photo: Hiroshi Sato)
While fans in Japan will have to wait another year for the next iteration of the Rakuten Japan Open, those in Europe will soon be treated to another tennis spectacle at the upcoming Davis Cup by Rakuten finals, to be held in Spain in late November.
