On Saturday, Carlos Alcaraz passed a massive test at the ATP 500 eventin Tokyo. World no. 1 faced Zizou Bergs in the second round and earned a 6-4, 6-3 victory for a place in the last eight.
More importantly, the 22-year-old injured the physical effort two days after spraying his left ankle in the first round. The six-time Major winner renewed his confidence after putting his ankle concerns firmly behind him.
Alcaraz's physio, Juanjo Moreno, worked tirelessly over the previous 48 hours to reduce the pain and prepare the world's best player for his next duel. Carlos thanked him and called him the best physio in the world!
The Spaniard did not play at his best against the Belgian. However, he was more than pleased with his performance, looking sharp and composed just two days after a major scare.
Alcaraz expressed deep appreciation for Moreno's expertise and dedication, trusting him 100% and describing him as a cornerstone of his most recent success that keeps him in the title chase.
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Despite expected caution in his movement, Carlos soon found his rhythm and produced a confident display, especially on the return. The six-time Major winner provided five breaks and outplayed Bergs from the baseline and at the net.
While he struggled behind the second serve, Alcaraz felt good about his performance in the given circumstances. The victory meant more than a scoreline for the young Spaniard.
It was a testament to the behind-the-scenes effort that made his quick recovery possible, leaving him in the competition and en route to another ATP final, his ninth in a row since April!
With his troubled ankle responding well and allowing him to push, Carlos looks ready to extend his Tokyo campaign, facing Brandon Nakashima in Sunday's quarter-final.
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As always, world no. 1 is driven by his relentless spirit and the unwavering support of his team.
"Honestly, it was tough. It was an important day and a half for me, as I had to recover the best I could. I had a day off yesterday, and an extra day gave me an opportunity to treat my ankle.
As I have said many times, I have the best physio in the world. I trust him completely, which is very important when something like this happens. He has done incredible work with my ankle in the previous two days, and I was able to play thanks to him.
I was worried about my movement in situations when I could feel discomfort. Overall, I think I played a great match. I thought about the injury a bit, but it was a good performance," Carlos Alcaraz said.
