World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz overcame an injury scare to move into the second round of the Japan Open in Tokyo on Thursday with an easy win over Argentine Sebastian Baez.
While stretching for a return, Alcaraz hurt his left foot during the opening set and called a medical timeout, but returned to the court immediately to script a convincing 6-4, 6-2 win over the World No. 41.
"I think I played a great level of tennis besides what happened at the beginning of the match. I am just happy to get the win and happy that I was able to play until the end of the match," the Spaniard said after the match as quoted by Olympics.com
After the injury break, Alcaraz got some more time to recover as the play was suspended for 20 minutes due to rain.
When the play resumed, he was in full flow, wrapping up the match in 90 minutes.
"I feel like it was unlucky. I was feeling good, and it was about running to a key drop shot he made in the fifth game, and that happened," he said.
"I would say it saved me that I was going forward, and thanks to that, it didn't blend all around. I was worried because, in the first minutes of playing, my ankle did not feel good at all. But then after a while, I just started to feel a little bit better. I could walk to the bench, which was a relief for me."
"Right now I am feeling the same way which for me I would say is great because when it cooled down, I am feeling the same way when I was playing on the court. I think it is a great sign."
Alcaraz is set to take on Belgium's Zizou Bergs in the second round on Saturday.
"I do not know, it is going to be an important day and a half I have ahead for me before the next match. We will see what happens. I will do whatever it takes to be in a good state, and I'm ready to play in the next round," he added.
© 2025