PREDICTION, PREVIEW, H2H: Alcaraz, Fritz, Tiafoe and Jodar to play on Court 1 on Thursday – Japan Open Tennis Championships

TOKYO ORDER OF PLAY and PREVIEW. Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe and Rafael Jodar will play on Thursday

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Mark Hall
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Carlos Alcaraz-Taylor Fritz-Frances Tiafoe-Rafael Jodar Stats info

ORDER OF PLAY and PREVIEW. Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe and Rafael Jodar are going to compete on Thursday at the Japan Open Tennis Championships on Court 1.

[SEE DRAW and ORDER OF PLAY]

Carlos Alcaraz vs. Alex Michelsen Japan Open Tennis Championships

Carlos Alcaraz vs. Alex Michelsen

Head to head 0-0

Carlos Alcaraz will face Alex Michelsen in the 1st round for the 1st time in their career. They are scheduled to compete on Thursday at 4:00 pm on Court 1.

Carlos Alcaraz: ranking and results

Ranked no. 3, will start his run in Tokyo after he played his last match in Laver Cup where he defeated to Fritz in the round robin on the 26th of September.

Carlos has a 27-4 win-loss record in 2026, 21-3 on hard (See FULL STATS).

His best result of the current year was winning the title at the Australian Open where he defeated Novak Djokovic in the final 2-6 6-2 6-3 7-5 and in Doha where he defeated Arthur Fils in the final 6-2 6-1.

Last year in Tokyo Alcaraz conquered the title last year in Tokyo after downing Taylor Fritz 6-4 6-4. Carlos conquered the title at the Japan Open Tennis Championships once in 2025 when he defeated Taylor Fritz 6-4 6-4.

Alex Michelsen: ranking and results

Ranked no. 34, will start his run in Tokyo after he won the title in the Bloomfield Hills Challenger after beating in the final.

Alex has a 35-20 win-loss record in 2026, 25-10 on hard (See FULL STATS).

Michelsen’s best result of the year was reaching the final in the Bloomfield Hills Challenger.

Last year in Tokyo The American lost in the 1st round 7-5 6-2 to Ethan Quinn.

Head to head analysis

There is no head to head record between Carlos Alcaraz and Alex Michelsen since this will be the first time that they will fight against each other in the main tour.

Prediction, odds and live streaming

The pick for Tennis Tonic is Carlos Alcaraz who should win in 2 sets.

As per the initial odds, Carlos Alcaraz is the pick to win this match.
Carlos Alcaraz -> 1.177
Alex Michelsen -> 4.85

 

 

Here where top tennis events are broadcasted or streamed online (ATP, WTA).

At the challenger level, there will be free live streaming on Challenger TV.

 

Taylor Fritz vs. Jaume Antoni Munar Clar Japan Open Tennis Championships

Taylor Fritz vs. Jaume Antoni Munar Clar

Head to head 2-0 for Fritz

Taylor Fritz will take on Jaume Antoni Munar Clar in the 1st round for the 3rd time of their career. They are scheduled to play on Thursday at 11:00 am on Court 1.

Taylor Fritz: ranking and results

Ranked no. 12, the American will start his run in Tokyo after he played his last match in Laver Cup where he lost to in the round robin on the 26th of September.

Taylor has a 33-17 win-loss record in 2026, 18-10 on hard (See FULL STATS).

His best result of the current year was conquering the title in Washington where he overcame Rafael Jodar in the final 7-6(2) 6-4.

Last year in Tokyo Fritz lost in the final 6-4 6-4 to Carlos Alcaraz.

Jaume Antoni Munar Clar: ranking and results

Ranked no. 64, Munar Clar got to the 1st round after beating Marcos Giron 5-7 6-1 6-4 and Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-2 6-3.

Jaume Antoni has a 17-17 win-loss record in 2026, 7-5 on hard (See FULL STATS).

Last year in Tokyo The Spaniard capitulated in the 1st round 6-4 6-2 to Matteo Berrettini.

Head to head analysis

This will be the 3rd time that Taylor Fritz and Jaume Antoni Munar Clar face off. Their actual record is 2-0 for Fritz (see full H2H stats), 2-0 on hard.

Previously, the last time they squared off, Fritz won 7-6(4) 3-6 7-6(6) in the R in Perth sydney back in January 2026.

Prediction, odds and live streaming

The pick for Tennis Tonic is Taylor Fritz who should win in 2 sets.

As per the initial odds, Taylor Fritz is the pick to win this match.
Taylor Fritz -> 1.169
Jaume Antoni Munar Clar -> 5

 

 

Here where top tennis events are broadcasted or streamed online (ATP, WTA).

At the challenger level, there will be free live streaming on Challenger TV.

 

Frances Tiafoe vs. Kei Nishikori Japan Open Tennis Championships

Frances Tiafoe vs. Kei Nishikori

Head to head 1-0 for Nishikori

Frances Tiafoe will square off with Kei Nishikori in the 1st round for the 2nd time of their career. They are scheduled to play on Thursday at 1:30 pm on Court 1.

Frances Tiafoe: ranking and results

Ranked no. 8 (career high), Francis will start his run in Tokyo after he played his last match in Us Open where he lost to in the semifinal on the 11th of September.

The American has a 42-17 win-loss record in 2026, 25-10 on hard (See FULL STATS).

His best result of the current season was winning the title in Halle where he defeated Taylor Fritz in the final 6-4 6-4.

Last year in Tokyo Francis surrendered in the 1st round 3-6 6-1 7-5 to Marton Fucsovics.

Kei Nishikori: ranking and results

Ranked no. 436, Nishikori will start his run in Tokyo after he played his last match in the Savannah Challenger where he lost to in the 2nd round on the 22nd of April.

Kei has a 9-9 win-loss record in 2026, 4-5 on hard (See FULL STATS).

The Japanese won his last 9 matches.

Last year in Tokyo Nishikori didn’t play in Tokyo in 2025.

Head to head analysis

This will be the 2nd time that Frances Tiafoe and Kei Nishikori play each other. Their actual record is 1-0 for Nishikori (see full H2H stats), but they have never played each other on hard.

Before, the last time they locked horns, Nishikori won 7-6(3) 5-7 6-2 in the 1st round in Vienna back in 2018.

Prediction, odds and live streaming

The pick for Tennis Tonic is Frances Tiafoe who should win in 2 sets.

As per the initial odds, Frances Tiafoe is the pick to win this match.
Frances Tiafoe -> 1.141
Kei Nishikori -> 5.55

 

 

Here where top tennis events are broadcasted or streamed online (ATP, WTA).

At the challenger level, there will be free live streaming on Challenger TV.

 

 

Rafael Jodar vs. Adolfo Daniel Vallejo Japan Open Tennis Championships

Rafael Jodar vs. Adolfo Daniel Vallejo

Head to head 0-0

Rafael Jodar will play Adolfo Daniel Vallejo in the 1st round for the 1st time in their career. They are scheduled to compete on Thursday at 6:30 pm on Court 1.

Rafael Jodar: ranking and results

Ranked no. 13, will start his run in Tokyo after he played his last match in Davis Cup, World Group, Q2, CHI ESP 0 where he overcame to Garin in the Rubber 2 on the 19th of September.

Rafael has a 51-16 win-loss record in 2026, 26-10 on hard (See FULL STATS).

His best result of the year was winning the title in Marrakech where he overcame Marco Trungelliti in the final 6-3 6-2.

Last year in Tokyo Jodar didn’t play in Tokyo in 2025.

Adolfo Daniel Vallejo: ranking and results

Ranked no. 56 (career high), the Paraguayan got to the 1st round after beating Taro Daniel 6-3 6-2 and Jaime Faria 6-4 5-7 7-5.

The Paraguayan has a 45-22 win-loss record in 2026, 8-6 on hard (See FULL STATS). The Paraguayan’s best result of the year was getting to the final in the Itajai Challenger and the Concepcion Challenger.

Last year in Tokyo Adolfo didn’t compete in Tokyo in 2025.

Head to head analysis

There is no head to head record between Rafael Jodar and Adolfo Daniel Vallejo since this will be the first time that they will face off in the main tour.

Prediction, odds and live streaming

The pick for Tennis Tonic is Rafael Jodar who should win in 2 sets.

As per the initial odds, Rafael Jodar is the pick to win this match.
Rafael Jodar -> 1.2
Adolfo Daniel Vallejo -> 4.5

 

 

Here where top tennis events are broadcasted or streamed online (ATP, WTA).

At the challenger level, there will be free live streaming on Challenger TV.

 

Last Results

These are the last results of the Japan Open Tennis Championships

Upcoming matches

These are the upcoming matches of the Japan Open Tennis Championships