ATP Japan Open 2026: Entry List, Prize Money, Dates, Draw & How to Watch
The ATP Japan Open 2026 returns to Tokyo with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz leading a strong field at one of the biggest events of the Asian hard-court swing.
Officially known as the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships, the ATP 500 tournament will run from September 30 to October 6, 2026, following two days of qualifying on September 28 and 29. Matches will be played on the outdoor hard courts at Ariake Colosseum and Ariake Tennis Forest Park in Tokyo. The singles draw features 32 players, while the doubles competition has 16 teams.
Alcaraz returns after winning the tournament on his Tokyo debut in 2025. Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, Rafael Jodar, Lorenzo Musetti, Brandon Nakashima, Jiri Lehecka and Casper Ruud are among the other notable names on the entry list.
The tournament will also be especially meaningful for Japanese fans, with Kei Nishikori set to make his final Japan Open appearance before retiring from professional tennis at the end of the 2026 season.
One player who will not be in Tokyo is former champion Ben Shelton, who withdrew ahead of the tournament after saying the physical demands of the US Open and Davis Cup had taken a toll on his body. The official tournament entry list now also lists him as withdrawn.
Here is everything you need to know about the 2026 ATP Japan Open, including the entry list, draw date, prize money, ranking points, defending champions, tournament records and how to watch.
ATP Japan Open 2026 Tournament Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Tournament | Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships 2026 |
| Common Name | ATP Japan Open 2026 |
| Category | ATP 500 |
| Main Draw | September 30–October 6, 2026 |
| Qualifying | September 28–29, 2026 |
| Location | Tokyo, Japan |
| Venue | Ariake Colosseum / Ariake Tennis Forest Park |
| Surface | Outdoor hard |
| Singles Draw | 32 players |
| Doubles Draw | 16 teams |
| Prize Money | US$2,342,275 |
| Singles Champion Points | 500 |
| Tournament Director | Shigefusa Kanroji |
| Defending Singles Champion | Carlos Alcaraz |
| Defending Doubles Champions | Hugo Nys / Edouard Roger-Vasselin |
The tournament was established in 1972, making it one of the longest-running major professional tennis events in Asia.
The official tournament fact sheet also lists Yonex Tour Platinum as the competition ball and WOWOW as the official broadcaster in Japan.
ATP Japan Open 2026 Entry List
The published singles entry list is headed by defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, with several Top-20-level players also scheduled to compete.
The rankings shown by the tournament are based on the August 31, 2026 rankings, so they should be viewed as entry-list rankings rather than the players’ rankings during tournament week.
| No. | Player | Country | Entry Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carlos Alcaraz | ESP | 3 |
| 2 | Taylor Fritz | USA | 10 |
| 3 | Frances Tiafoe | USA | 12 |
| 4 | Rafael Jodar | ESP | 13 |
| 5 | Lorenzo Musetti | ITA | 14 |
| 6 | Brandon Nakashima | USA | 17 |
| 7 | Jiri Lehecka | CZE | 19 |
| 8 | Casper Ruud | NOR | 20 |
| 9 | Tommy Paul | USA | 21 |
| 10 | Luciano Darderi | ITA | 22 |
| 11 | Valentin Vacherot | MON | 23 |
| 12 | Alejandro Davidovich Fokina | ESP | 27 |
| 13 | Alejandro Tabilo | CHI | 28 |
| 14 | Ugo Humbert | FRA | 31 |
| 15 | Tomas Martin Etcheverry | ARG | 32 |
| 16 | Arthur Fery | GBR | 33 |
| 17 | Alexander Blockx | BEL | 34 |
| 18 | Matteo Arnaldi | ITA | 36 |
| 19 | Zizou Bergs | BEL | 37 |
| 20 | Luca Van Assche | FRA | 40 |
| 21 | Matteo Berrettini | ITA | 43 |
| 22 | Alex Michelsen | USA | 46 |
| 23 | Denis Shapovalov | CAN | 48 |
| 24 | Holger Rune | DEN | 133 |
| WC | Sho Shimabukuro | JPN | 88 |
| WC | Rei Sakamoto | JPN | 157 |
| WC | Kei Nishikori | JPN | 481 |
The remaining main-draw positions are reserved for four qualifiers and one special exempt.
There is another notable name outside the direct main-draw list: Arthur Fils. The tournament says Fils is scheduled to enter through qualifying because of administrative issues related to his entry process.
Joao Fonseca has also withdrawn because of injury, while Shelton is no longer in the field
Ben Shelton Withdraws From the ATP Japan Open
Former champion Ben Shelton will not compete in Tokyo in 2026.
Shelton had originally been one of the biggest names on the entry list but announced his withdrawal on September 25. He explained that his recent run at the US Open followed by Davis Cup duty had taken a physical toll, and he was not able to make the trip to Tokyo.
His absence is particularly notable because Tokyo holds an important place in his career.
Shelton won his first ATP Tour title at the 2023 Japan Open, defeating Aslan Karatsev in the final. He returned in 2024 and reached the quarter-finals.
The American said he hopes to return to the tournament in 2027.
Kei Nishikori’s Final Japan Open
For home fans, one of the biggest stories of the week will be Kei Nishikori’s farewell appearance in Tokyo.
Nishikori announced earlier in 2026 that he will retire from professional tennis at the end of the season. The tournament subsequently confirmed that he would receive a main-draw wild card for his final Japan Open.
The former World No. 4 has an impressive history at the tournament.
He won his first Japan Open title in 2012, defeating Milos Raonic in the final, and lifted the trophy again in 2014. He was also runner-up in 2018.
Nishikori owned a 24-9 career record in Tokyo when his final appearance was announced. His most recent participation came in 2024, when he reached the quarter-finals.
His 2014 victory also remains the most recent Japan Open men’s singles title won by a Japanese player.
When Is the ATP Japan Open 2026 Draw?
The ATP Japan Open 2026 singles draw will be held on Monday, September 28 at 2:00 PM local time in Tokyo.
Qualifying will also begin on September 28 and continue on September 29 before the main draw starts on September 30.
ATP Japan Open 2026 Tournament Schedule
Because the daily Order of Play will be covered separately, here are only the key tournament dates:
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Singles Qualifying | September 28–29 |
| Main Draw Begins | September 30 |
| Main Draw | September 30–October 6 |
| Singles Semi-finals | October 5 |
| Doubles Final | October 6 |
| Singles Final | October 6 |
The ATP’s pre-tournament information lists the doubles final for 2:00 PM on October 6, followed by the singles final not before 6:00 PM, Japan Standard Time.
Exact match times and court assignments will be available through the tournament’s daily Order of Play.
Looking for today’s matches? See our ATP Japan Open 2026 Daily Schedule, Order of Play & Results.
ATP Japan Open 2026 Prize Money
The 2026 ATP Japan Open offers US$2,342,275 in total prize money. The official Japanese tournament fact sheet confirms the same total.
For readers outside the United States, that is approximately:
| Currency | Approx. Total Prize Money |
|---|---|
| US Dollar | $2,342,275 |
| Australian Dollar | A$3.30 million |
| Euro | €2.02 million |
| British Pound | £1.73 million |
These conversions use the Federal Reserve’s average exchange rates for August 2026, not live September rates. The Fed’s monthly data gives approximately US$1 = A$1.4079, €0.8625 and £0.7382 after converting its quoted rates into USD-based figures.
Therefore, the converted amounts are estimates and may differ from the value shown by banks or currency services during tournament week.
Singles Prize Money and ATP Points
| Round | Prize Money | ATP Points |
|---|---|---|
| Winner | $437,955 | 500 |
| Finalist | $235,685 | 330 |
| Semi-final | $125,605 | 200 |
| Quarter-final | $64,170 | 100 |
| Round of 16 | $34,255 | 50 |
| Round of 32 | $18,270 | 0 |
The singles champion will therefore leave Tokyo with $437,955 and 500 ATP ranking points.
Doubles Prize Money and ATP Points
Doubles prize money is paid per team.
| Round | Prize Money | ATP Points |
|---|---|---|
| Winner | $143,880 | 500 |
| Finalist | $76,730 | 300 |
| Semi-final | $38,820 | 180 |
| Quarter-final | $19,420 | 90 |
| Round of 16 | $10,050 | 0 |
How to Watch the ATP Japan Open 2026
The ATP Japan Open will be available through Tennis TV, the ATP Tour’s official streaming service, in supported territories.
In Japan, WOWOW is the tournament’s official broadcaster.
Broadcast rights differ between countries, so international viewers should also check the ATP’s official TV schedule for their local broadcaster.
Streaming: Tennis TV
Japan: WOWOW
International TV listings: ATP Tour TV Schedule
Who Won the ATP Japan Open in 2025?
Carlos Alcaraz won the 2025 Japan Open men’s singles title on his tournament debut.
The Spaniard defeated Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-4 in the championship match to lift his first Tokyo trophy.
Alcaraz dropped only one set during his title run and joined an impressive group of former World No. 1 players to have won in Tokyo, including Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic. ATP confirmed earlier this year that Alcaraz would return to defend his title in 2026.
In doubles, Hugo Nys and Edouard Roger-Vasselin defeated wild cards Rohan Bopanna and Takeru Yuzuki 7-5, 7-5 to claim the 2025 title.
ATP Japan Open Records
The tournament has produced champions from several generations of men’s tennis since its first edition in 1972.
| Record | Player |
|---|---|
| Most Singles Titles | Stefan Edberg – 4 |
| Most Match Wins | Stefan Edberg – 27 |
| Oldest Champion | Ken Rosewall – 38 (1973) |
| Youngest Champion | Jimmy Arias – 18 (1982) |
| Lowest-Ranked Champion | No. 121 Kenneth Carlsen (2002) |
| Last Japanese Champion | Kei Nishikori (2014) |
Several World No. 1 players have also won the title while sitting at the top of the rankings, including Stefan Edberg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz.
Alcaraz became the latest World No. 1-ranked champion when he won the tournament in 2025.
Tokyo Begins a Major Week in the Asian Swing
The ATP Japan Open is played during one of the busiest weeks of the Asian hard-court season.
Tokyo and the ATP China Open in Beijing are both ATP 500 tournaments running from September 30 to October 6. They are followed immediately by the Rolex Shanghai Masters, which begins on October 7.
Tokyo’s 2026 field combines established stars and emerging names. Alcaraz returns to defend his title, Fritz is back after reaching last year’s final, Jodar continues his breakthrough season, and Nishikori gets one final appearance in front of his home supporters.
Shelton’s withdrawal removes the 2023 champion from the field, but the entry list still includes a deep group of players chasing 500 ranking points and the Japan Open trophy.
