Carlos Alcaraz is an overwhelming favourite in Tokyo as he aims to defend his title. He has never faced Alex Michelsen however, so am backing the American to keep it close in the first set.
| Carlos Alcaraz | Alex Michelsen | |
|---|---|---|
| Nationality | Spain | United States |
| Age | 23 (5 May 2003) | 22 (25 August 2004) |
| Height | 6'0" (1.83m) | 6'4" (1.93m) |
| Plays | Right-Handed | Right-Handed |
| Ranking | 3 | 34 |
| Career High | 1 (September 2022) | 30 (July 2025) |
| ATP Tour Titles | 26 | 0 |
| 2026 ATP Tour Titles | 2 | 0 |
| Grand Slam Titles | 7 | 0 |
| ATP Tokyo Best Result | Winner (2025) | Quarter-Finals (2024) |
HTH
This will be the first match between Carlos Alcaraz and Alex Michelsen.
Alcaraz Getting Back to His Best
Carlos Alcaraz started the year as World No.1 and justified it by winning the Australian Open, Qatar Open and losing to Jannik Sinner in the Monte Carlo final.
The Spaniard spent four months out of the game to recover from a wrist injury, missing the French Open and Wimbledon.
The 23-year-old returned to action at the US Open, dropping one set on his way to the quarter-finals where he went down in 5 sets to Ben Shelton.
Alcaraz played one match at the Laver Cup last week, beating Taylor Fritz 6-3 4-6 (13-11).
Michelsen Returns after US Open Heartbreak
Alex Michelsen has been a permanent presence in the Top 50 but remains some distance from the Top 20.
The 22-year-old lost to Taylor Fritz in the Washington quarter-finals and second round in Cincinnati.
The American hasn’t been seen since the US Open where he beat Brandon Nakashima, Daniel Merida Aguilar and Tomas Martin Etcheverry on his way to the quarter-finals.
Michelsen won the opening two sets against Frances Tiafoe and served for the match in the third set. He couldn’t get it done and was in tears after a heartbreaking 5-7 3-6 7-5 6-3 7-6 defeat.
How to Watch Carlos Alcaraz vs Alex Michelsen Live
Event: 2026 Japan Open
Round: First Round
Date: Thursday 1 October
The Carlos Alcaraz vs Alex Michelsen match at the 2026 Japan Open is available to stream live for registered users on Stake.
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Steps to Stream the Match Live:
Create an Account: Visit Stake.com via our official link to open an account.
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Locate the Match: Go to the Tennis tab under Live Events and select Carlos Alcaraz vs Alex Michelsen.
Start Streaming: Click the Live Stream icon on the match screen to open the video feed.*
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