The Laver Cup may have given Taylor Fritz a much-needed confidence boost, but will fate repeat itself when he crosses paths with his old rival at the Japan Open? That’s for the fans to debate and the 27-year-old to settle, as he prepares for a blockbuster final against Carlos Alcaraz, who’s fresh off a gritty win over Casper Ruud in Tokyo. Adding fuel to the anticipation, Fritz has dropped a message ahead of the showdown, just the kind of tease that keeps tennis Twitter buzzing.

Now into his 19th ATP final, the world No. 5 has been all business in Japan’s capital. The 2022 champion dispatched fellow American Jenson Brooksby 6-4, 6-3 in a tidy hour and a half, punching his ticket to a shot at a third title this season. And if his latest update is anything to go by, Fritz isn’t just showing up for the occasion, he’s brimming with confidence and ready to test it against the very best.

Just a few hours ago, Tennis TV lit up X with a clip of Taylor Fritz  writing three cryptic words on camera with a golden marker after his semi-final win, cheekily captioned, “Nah, I’d win” 😤 @Taylor_Fritz97 #kinoshitajotennis. Within 26 minutes, Fritz reshared the clip with his own twist: “Can already see myself about to get roasted by the people that don’t get it 😪.” So, why did he write that?

For some context, Fritz is a fan of the Japanese manga and anime series Jujutsu Kaisen. He’s been spotted doing one of the main character, Gojo’s, signature hand signs on court too: bringing his hand up to face level and crossing his middle finger over his index. In the series, Gojo says the words “Nah, I’d win” when asked if he could beat a powerful sorcerer, with the panel going viral online. And with Fritz facing a powerful (tennis) sorcerer of his own in the form of Alcaraz, no wonder he’s looking to channel some of that energy.

Nonetheless, it seems to be working as Fritz has been killing it of late. Take today’s match for starters. Taylor Fritz’s serve was the star of the show, blasting 13 aces and holding firm under pressure. The world No. 5 may have wobbled a bit on his second serve, but he coolly saved both break points he faced. That left Jenson Brooksby scrambling to stay in the fight, battling four break points before conceding a break in each set. Fritz, meanwhile, kept the balance with 31 winners against just 13 unforced errors, and when match point arrived, he sealed it in style, with an ace to punctuate a 6-4, 6-3 victory.

But the real buzz comes from what happened earlier this week. On Day 2 of the Laver Cup, Fritz finally cracked the Carlos Alcaraz code, notching his first win over the world No. 1. If that wasn’t enough, he extended his hot streak with a sixth straight victory over Alexander Zverev, who was nursing a sore back. “I feel great right now and beating Carlos during the Laver Cup gave me extra confidence,” Fritz said after toppling Sebastian Korda in the quarterfinal.

Of course, none of this comes without the grind. Both Fritz and Alcaraz are battling a relentless calendar, one that Marcos Giron summed up bluntly: “The schedule is nuts. I mean, from January to November, it’s full. It’s tough, man.” And yet, despite the chaos of tour life, both men continue to electrify fans with fearless, high-octane tennis. So while Fritz may brace himself for playful roasting online, on the court, he’s making a pretty strong case that the joke’s on everyone else.

Carlos Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz extend their hot runs in Tokyo

World No. 5 Taylor Fritz battled past fellow American Sebastian Korda 6-3, 6(5)-7, 6-3 in the quarterfinals of the 2025 Japan Open. The victory keeps his Tokyo campaign alive at a tournament where he lifted the trophy in 2022 after a gritty win over Frances Tiafoe. Still, for all his progress, Fritz knows there’s work to be done if he wants to match the levels of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

On the other side, Carlos Alcaraz notched his 64th win of the 2025 season with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Brandon Nakashima in the quarterfinals, followed by a semifinal showdown with Casper Ruud, where Alcaraz came from one set down to secure the win. With that result, the Spaniard became only the fourth player since 1990 to reach nine or more consecutive semifinals at ATP-level events entered (excluding team competitions).

But Alcaraz has been playing through an ankle injury he suffered in his first match at Tokyo. Though none of his opponents thus far have been able to overcome a less than 100% Alcaraz, could Fritz—coming off of his first win over the Spaniard and riding a wave of confidence—be the one to exploit that weakness? Let us know your predictions in the comments below.