Carlos Alcaraz qualified for the semi-finals of the Japan Open on Sunday after an ailing Denis Shapovalov retired to hand the world number three a 7-6 (7\/3), 2-1 victory.<\/p>\n
His Canadian opponent was forced to withdraw after suffering an injury to his upper right thigh in the first game of the second set.<\/p>\n
Defending champion Alcaraz will play fellow Spaniard Jaume Munar for a place in the final after the world number 64 ended the impressive run of 86th-ranked Kyrian Jacquet of France.<\/p>\n
The match was hard-fought until Shapovalov’s retirement, with Alcaraz troubled by the variety of his game as the world number 46 mixed deep shots with drop shots, and power with spin.<\/p>\n
Alcaraz, who saved four set points against Matteo Arnaldi on Saturday, salvaged another here at 5-4 down and went on to seal the tie-break with a passing shot before Shapovalov’s injury.<\/p>\n
The Australian Open champion is playing only his third event since returning from a months-long wrist injury, having reached the quarter-finals of the US Open last month.<\/p>\n
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