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Carlos Alcaraz Survives 'Scary' Ankle Injury in Japan Open

Carlos Alcaraz overcame a scary ankle injury and rain delay to defeat Sebastian Baez in Tokyo.
Pat Benson|
Carlos Alcaraz suffered an ankle injury at the Japan Open.
Carlos Alcaraz suffered an ankle injury at the Japan Open. | IMAGO / AFLOSPORT

ATP World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz kicked off his campaign at the Japan Open with a hard-fought win against Sebastian Baez: 6-4, 6-2. Alcaraz battled through an ankle injury and a lengthy rain delay to avoid an upset.

In the fifth game of the opening set, Alcaraz hit the ground with an ankle injury. The six-time Grand Slam champion sat on the court for several minutes. After the medical timeout, Alcaraz returned with the ankle heavily taped.

To make matters more challenging, the match was delayed roughly 30 minutes as the roof was closed due to rain. Despite having time for his ankle to stiffen up, Alcaraz looked even stronger in the second set. But what are his chances of playing in the rest of the tournament?

The Spanish superstar was still shaken up by the injury and must now focus on preparing for tomorrow's Round of 16 match against Zizou Bergs.

When asked about giving fans a scare, Alcaraz admitted with a nervous laugh, "Yeah, I was scared, too. I'm not going to lie. When I planted the ankle, I was worried, to be honest. Because I didn't feel good at the beginning.

So I'm just happy that I was able to play after that, play such good tennis, and finish the match quite good."

He added, "I will try to recover, to do whatever it takes to be ready for the next round to try to play... It was unlucky, I would say."

With the victory, Alcaraz improves to 62-6 on the season. The importance of the ATP 500 Tokyo is not lost on Alcaraz, as he is competing with Jannik Sinner, who is playing in the ATP 500 Beijing, to finish the year at the top of the ATP Rankings.

As Alcaraz mentioned in his post-match interview, he will have just over 24 hours until his next match against Bergs. The two players have never faced off on the tour level before.

The Japan Open runs through Sunday, October 5. Stay locked into Sports Illustrated's Serve On SI for all of your tennis news from the court and beyond.

Update

Alcaraz spoke with the media on Thursday and offered a cautiously optimistic update on his ankle injury.

"After all, I just started to feel a little bit better. I could walk to the bench, which for me was a relief. Right now, I'm feeling the same way, which, for me, I would say is great. When it cooled down, I'm feeling the same way as I was playing on the court. I think it's a great sign."

More Tennis News

Frances Tiafoe destroys his Yonex racket in the Japan Open.

Jannik Sinner partially agreed with Roger Federer's theory on court speeds.

Changeover author speaks on early stages of Sinner-Alcaraz rivalry.

Jannik Sinner was dealt a dream draw at the China Open.

Carlos Alcaraz will face stiff competition in the Japan Open this week.

Published | Modified
Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers professional tennis for Serve on Sports Illustrated, reporting on ATP and WTA events worldwide. From Challenger tournaments to Grand Slams, he brings readers in-depth coverage, daily recaps, and exclusive interviews with some of the biggest names in the sport. With a decade of experience in sports journalism, Pat is recognized as a trusted voice in tennis media. You can contact him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.

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