After the huge scare due to the ankle injury suffered during his first match at the Tokyo ATP 500, Carlos Alcaraz returned to action in Japan and claimed a two-set win overZizou Bergs in the night session. The world No.1 did not put in the best performance of his season and had several ups and downs, but his physical condition looked good and he should have no problem continuing the tournament.
The Spanish champion who can be proud of the season he is playing with seven trophies raised (including two Major titles and three Masters 1000) suffered three breaks during today's clash and gave the feeling of not being at the top of his shape, but it was enough for him to make the difference in some moments to beat an opponent who was too discontinuous.
Alcaraz will face Nakashima
Carlitos' next rival will be American ace Brandon Nakashima, a player who is certainly more dangerous than the Spaniard's first two opponents in this tournament. The 22-year-old from Murcia will have to raise his level to access the semifinals, taking into account that his goal is to try to defend the 500 points earned last year thanks to his success in Beijing.
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The six-time Grand Slam champion has often struggled to express his best level at this stage of the season, but at the same time it is necessary to highlight the maturation he has had in recent months in all aspects. After a more complicated start to 2025 than expected, Alcaraz has literally changed gears becoming almost unstoppable from spring onwards.
In addition, he finally showed that consistency that had been his main weakness in recent years and overtaking his huge rival Jannik Sinner was the well-deserved reward for his rise. After the Tokyo ATP 500, the Spanish star will be the protagonist at the Shanghai Masters 1000 where he stopped in the quarterfinals in the last edition. Carlos will also be featured at the 'Six Kings Slam' in Saudi Arabia next month.
