World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz stunned fans yesterday in Tokyo by winning despite injuring his ankle.
He defeated Sebastian Baez 6-4, 6-2 at the Japan Open under dramatic circumstances.
“When I planted the ankle, I was worried, because it didn’t feel good at the beginning,” he admitted afterward.
At 2-2 in the first set, Alcaraz collapsed briefly, clutching his left ankle in visible pain.
He called a medical timeout and received heavy strapping from the physio team courtside.
A rain delay provided additional recovery time before he resumed competitive play.
Once play restarted, Alcaraz regained composure and immediately broke Baez’s serve.
He sealed the first set 6-4 and then dominated the second 6-2 with aggressive baseline attacks.
By winning in straight sets, he advanced into the Tokyo Open’s next round confidently.
Alcaraz said he felt fear during that twist, yet summoned resolve to finish strong.
He vowed to “do whatever it takes” to be ready for his next match.
Next up is Belgium’s Zizou Bergs, should Alcaraz recover sufficiently to compete.
His 2025 season has seen extraordinary consistency despite occasional injury concerns.
Even with physical setbacks, his warrior mentality separates him from peers.
Recovery and medical scans will determine how much the ankle affects his campaign.
Tennis fans worldwide now monitor his status before his next Tokyo appearance.
Leave a Reply