World number one Carlos Alcaraz powered through an ankle injury and a rain delay to secure a victory against Argentina's Sebastian Baez at the Japan Open. The match, which started with Alcaraz seemingly in control, took a dramatic turn when he twisted his ankle in the first set.
The US Open champion went down clutching his left ankle, prompting immediate concern from the crowd. After receiving medical attention and having his ankle heavily strapped, Alcaraz bravely continued. He managed to break Baez and take a 5-4 lead before the heavens opened, forcing a temporary suspension of play.
Upon returning to the court after the roof was closed, Alcaraz showed no signs of slowing down. He closed out the first set and dominated the second, ultimately winning 6-4, 6-2. Despite the victory, Alcaraz admitted to being "scared" by the injury. "When I landed on the ankle, I was worried to be honest because it didn't feel good at the beginning," he said. He will undergo further assessment to determine the extent of the damage.
Meanwhile, other notable matches saw Taylor Fritz overcome Gabriel Diallo in a hard-fought battle, and Casper Ruud advance with a win over Shintaro Mochizuki. However, Tomas Machac fell to Japanese qualifier Sho Shimabukuro.
Alcaraz is set to face Zizou Bergs in the second round, depending on the results of his scan. The tennis world awaits anxiously to see if the young champion will be able to continue his run at the Japan Open.
Other Japan Open Highlights
- Taylor Fritz survived a tough opening test against Canada's Gabriel Diallo, winning 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/3).
- Casper Ruud advanced with a 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory over Japan's Shintaro Mochizuki.
- Tomas Machac was defeated by Japanese qualifier Sho Shimabukuro 6-3, 7-6 (7/4).
Kartal Advances at China Open
In other tennis news, Briton Sonay Kartal secured a place in the second round of the China Open with a comfortable win over American Alycia Parks.