World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz made a dramatic debut at the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships, overcoming a serious injury scare and a rain delay. Alcaraz triumphed over Sebastian Baez 6-4, 6-2, showcasing resilience and mental toughness on Thursday evening.
Injury Scare and Rain Delay Disrupt Alcaraz’s Match
Midway through the opening set, Carlos Alcaraz collapsed on the court after feeling discomfort in his left ankle and heel. The physio treated the Spaniard, taping his ankle during a medical timeout. A 30-minute rain delay then paused the match, leaving Alcaraz unsure if he could continue. However, despite the setbacks, Alcaraz regained his focus and finished strong, securing the win in straight sets.
“I was scared too, I’m not gonna lie,” Alcaraz said after the match. “When I planted the ankle, I was worried, because it didn’t feel good at the beginning. I’m just happy that I was able to play good tennis after that and finish the match quite good. I will try to recover to do whatever it takes to be ready for the next round.”
Alcaraz’s Mental Resilience and Focus on Recovery
After dropping serve at 2-2, Alcaraz struggled as he collapsed to the ground, clutching his left leg in pain. However, after receiving treatment, he returned to the court and managed to win the set 6-4. Though initially uncertain about his ability to finish the match, the physio’s confidence-boosting assessment allowed Alcaraz to regroup and continue playing at a high level.
“I couldn’t do anything at all during the first five minutes [after] I did it,” Alcaraz admitted. “I was worried that I wouldn’t have the confidence to finish the match, but the physio came and did some tests. It was good I could walk to the bench and that gave me confidence [to continue]. I’m trying to have a warrior mentality in every match, in every aspect of everything.”
Next Challenge for Alcaraz: Zizou Bergs
In the next round, Alcaraz will face Zizou Bergs, who triumphed over Alejandro Tabilo 1-6, 7-6(2), 7-6(4) in a thrilling encounter. Alcaraz is aiming for his first Tokyo victory, hoping to join 12 other ATP No. 1 Club members who have previously claimed the title. The Spaniard has achieved a career-high 63 wins and seven titles this year.
Meanwhile, Casper Ruud overcame a slow start to defeat Shintaro Mochizuki 4-6, 6-1, 6-1. Ruud remains focused on a strong end to the season and is currently striving to secure a spot in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin.
“Not yet. Typically when we come back to Europe, there’s only three or four more tournaments, so that’s when you think about it,” said Ruud. “My goal is to have a good end of the season, and I haven’t really had that in the past except for Turin, [where] I’ve had some good results. Indoors is not my forte.”
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