We have arrived at the semi-final stage at the ATP 500 Japan Open in Tokyo. Tomas Machac has had a great week in Tokyo, and he will be the underdog against Ugo Humbert in the first semifinal. Holger Rune took out the Japanese hero Nishikori in the QF, and he will square off with Arthur Fils.
A great week so far for the Czech Tomas Machac at the Japan Open in Tokyo. After three good wins, he has a good shot at the final spot when he faces Ugo Humbert from France. So far at the Japan Open, Machac has defeated Popyrin and Tommy Paul in the first two rounds, winning both matches in three sets. He took out Alex Michelsen in straight sets in the QF. Tomas is 23 years of age and ranked at the 34th spot in the world. Machac has played 44 matches and won 26 of them. His best results this season include reaching the round of 16 at the US Open and the final in Geneva (lost to Ruud). This will be the first matchup ever between these two players.
Ugo Humbert had a good start to the 2024 season. He won both of his titles this season in the earlier part of the year. In February, Humbert won the title in Marseille (ATP 250, def. Dimitrov) and in Dubai (ATP 500, def. Bublik). Ugo dropped off a bit after that, which is not unusual after a couple of really good weeks on the ATP tour. Humbert is ranked at the 19th position in the world, and he is 26 years of age. He has won 31 and lost 20 matches in 2024 on the ATP tour. Ugo has not lost a set yet at the Japan Open in Tokyo. In the first two rounds, he got the better of Mochizuki and Nakashima in straight sets. In the QF, he won the first set 7-5 and was up 2-1 in the second when Jack Draper retired from the match.
Holger Rune has been a party destroyer at the ATP 500 Japan Open in Tokyo since he took out two Japanese players at the event. Rune got the better of Tabilo in the round of 32 in three sets. Then he won against Nishioka in two sets in the round of 16. Holger defeated the two-time Japan Open champion Kei Nishikori in the QF in three sets. Rune is having his best week on the ATP tour in a while, and his season could turn around with the title in Tokyo. Holger is ranked at the 14th spot in the world currently, and he is 21 years old. He has won 36 and lost 19 matches on the ATP tour in 2024. He has only reached one final this season.
Arthur Fils started the Japan Open in Tokyo by defeating the top seed Taylor Fritz in the opening round of the event. In the second round, he got a bit lucky. He was down after losing the first set to Berrettini, who had to retire at the start of the second set. Fils had a tough match against the 8th seed, Ben Shelton, in the QF. Arthur won the match in three close sets (7-5, 6-7, 7-6). The Frenchman is ranked at the 24th spot in the world. He is 20 years old and has won one title this season (ATP 500 in Hamburg). He has won 30 and lost 23 matches on the tour in 2024. Fils and Rune are tied at one all in the head-to-heads, with both matches being played on clay.
