Japan Open Final: Preview

The oldest tennis event in Japan, the Japan Open, held in Tokyo, has reached its final this week. This year’s tournament has created some memorable moments, including the return of Japan’s most successful tennis player, Kei Nishikori, who has been battling injuries in recent years and was forced to take several months off the court. However, in the end, it is Ugo Humbert, displaying fantastic tennis, who is set to face Arthur Fils in an all-French final. This marks the first time in four years that two Frenchmen meet in an ATP final. Both players have delivered A-game performances throughout the tournament, with few expecting them to reach this stage.

Ugo Humbert vs Arthur Fils

The stage is set as Ugo Humbert will clash with Arthur Fils for the top prize at the Japan Open on Tuesday, October 1. Frenchman Humbert has been playing excellent tennis in Tokyo since last week. In the semi-finals, Humbert produced one of the most scintillating performances fans have seen on the court this season. He managed to reign supreme in an entertaining match against Tomas Machac, winning 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 to book his third final of the year on the ATP calendar.

In the last two finals, Humbert won both. His victories include the Dubai ATP 500 and Marseille ATP 250 tournaments. He has a perfect record in finals, having won all six he has contested. He hopes to extend that streak to seven in a row. Humbert is also chasing his third ATP 500 title, having previously won the Halle Open in Germany in 2021 and Dubai this year. In Asia, he has maintained a flawless record and will aim to keep it intact. The current world number 19 will rise to the 15th spot in the rankings after this fine tournament. So far, Humbert has yet to drop a set, having won in straight sets against Brandon Nakashima and Shintaro Mochizuki. In the quarter-finals, he was leading 7-5, 2-1 when Jack Draper retired after receiving medical treatment.

Meanwhile, Arthur Fils will be thrilled with how he has handled the pressure, winning against the odds. The bookmakers did not predict Fils would progress to the final, but he has shown great composure to overcome tough opponents. In the semi-finals, he prevailed in a tense match against the dangerous Holger Rune, winning 7-6, 7-6, with both sets going to tiebreaks. In fact, his path to the final has been far from easy. In the round of 32, he shocked the tennis world by defeating tournament favorite Taylor Fritz. He then advanced as Matteo Berrettini retired after trailing in the second set. Fils followed that up by cruising past defending champion Ben Shelton, showing his hunger for the trophy.

Now, the 20-year-old will break into the Top 20 for the second time in his career. In their head-to-head encounters, Humbert leads 4-0, having only dropped one set in all those matches. This year, they have met twice, with Humbert winning both times in straight sets.