Carlos Alcaraz will play his first match at the ATP 50 event in Tokyo against Sebastian Baez. The Spaniard enters the event as world no. 1 and hopes to extend his great run since April that has brought him eight straight ATP finals.
Carlos will face Sebastian Baez in the first round, facing the Argentine for the first time in three years. The El Palmar native has won their previous two duels, and he stands at the favorite in the Japanese capital.
Alcaraz ousted Jannik Sinner in the US Open final, lifting a trophy and reclaiming the ATP throne after two years. The Spaniard will try to use that momentum and chase another title, his eighth of the season.
Carlos and Sebastian met for the first time at the 2021 Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan. The 18-year-old earned a convincing 4-2, 4-1, 4-2 victory in just over an hour following a strong display on serve and return.
The Spaniard provided superb numbers behind the initial shot, dropping five points in his games and defending three break points in the only troubled game. Baez could not follow that pace.
He lost half of the points in his games and suffered four breaks. Alcaraz lost a point on serve in the first set and made a difference with a break in game three. He wasted three set points on the return at 3-1 beforeholdingat love in game six.
The younger player grabbed two breaks in the second set before his rival raised his level in the third. Sebastian secured two fine holds and generated three break chances at 2-2.
Carlos denied them and grabbed three straight points on the return at 3-2 to emerge at the top. Their second duel came at the 2022 US Open. The Spaniard led 7-5, 7-5, 2-0 when the Argentine retired due to a leg injury.
Alcaraz had to dig deep in the opening two sets. He saved eight of ten break points and delivered five breaks from 13 opportunities. The younger player clinched the opening two sets with late breaks.
He secured an early return game at the beginning of the third set before his rival retired.
