Carlos Alcaraz beat Sebastian Baez in his debut match at the Tokyo ATP 500, but he got really scared during the first set due to a left ankle injury. The world No.1 who chose to play in Japan this year instead of Beijing was on the ground for several minutes, before ATP physiotherapist applied a very tight bandage that allowed him to continue playing and finish the match.
The six-time Grand Slam champion confided that his feelings improved as the minutes went by, adding that his goal is to return to the court against Zizou Bergs tomorrow. At the same time, the 22-year-old from Murcia is not willing to take risks at this very important stage of the season, bearing in mind that his main goal is undoubtedly the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin.
Alcaraz is injured
Carlitos will evaluate the situation in these hours and then make a decision regarding his presence or not in the next match. Immediately after his press conference, he went to his physiotherapist Juanjo Moreno and did the first treatments, with the intention of reducing the swelling in his ankle and seeing if the Spaniard can be on the pitch tomorrow without any risk.
The sensations that Alcaraz will have on Friday will be decisive for his choice, with the possibility of undergoing specific examinations on site to understand the extent of this injury. After the Tokyo ATP 500, Carlos will participate in the Shanghai Rolex Masters the penultimate Masters 1000 of the season and will not have much time to recover since this tournament will start as early as October 1st.
The Spanish star has just regained the top position in the ATP rankings thanks to his amazing triumph at the US Open at the beginning of this month, which has embellished a truly exceptional season so far. He lifted seven trophies in 2025, including two Major titles (Roland Garros and US Open)and three Masters 1000 titles, finally highlighting that consistency that he had often lacked in the past.
