ATP 500 Tokyo: Tournament winner prediction
by Tyler Doty | by Tyler Doty
Big Shoes to Fill for the French
Last season, the final of this Tokyo tournament, which is worth keeping an eye on for tennis predictions, delighted French tennis fans with an all-French final between Arthur Fils and Ugo Humbert, but this season looks set to be very different. In fact, 27-year-old Ugo Humbert will be the only French player present in the Japanese capital. Seeded number 6, he is certainly arriving with the mission of winning the title this time around. Having come close to victory in a three-set duel against his compatriot, he is back to put that bitter defeat behind him and add another title to his career.
Winner of the Marseille tournament at the beginning of the year, the Frenchman seems to be struggling, however, as he has not won two consecutive matches on hard court for several months and has a less-than-encouraging record this year with 18 wins and 16 losses. A final victory seems unlikely with such a difficult record to defend.
The New World Number One
In this edition, two big names are among the favorites to win the tournament. The first is Spain's Carlos Alcaraz, who will be seeded number one. Winner of last year's Beijing tournament, he is taking on Tokyo this season in exceptional form. Fresh from winning the US Open Grand Slam for the second time in his career after defeating Jannik Sinner in two finals at the Cincinnati Masters 1000, the new world number one is likely to arrive in Tokyo with little energy left. Although he has all the talent necessary to win the title, his motivation is likely to be slightly lower in this tournament, which could allow another big name to prevail in the final.
Fritz for the Title?
Taylor Fritz, seeded number 2, is back in this tournament, which he knows well having won the title in 2022. A member of the top 10 for four seasons now, the 27-year-old American has won at least two titles each season for several years and always manages to add a hard court title to his annual tally. Winner of both the Eastbourne and Stuttgart grass-court tournaments, he arrives here determined to win in front of the Japanese crowd. A semifinalist at Wimbledon this summer, the world number 5 also reached the semifinals in Toronto on August 7 before reaching the quarterfinals at the US Open.
Having been stopped just short of the final and therefore a new title this season, Taylor Fritz will be keen to avoid another disappointing return to the United States and should be able to prevail once again in the Japanese capital. What's more, his two victories in the Laver Cup against Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev should have given him the confidence he needs to string together another string of wins and go all the way to the title this time.
Our ATP 500 Tokyo winner prediction: Taylor Fritz wins the title!
