Alcaraz Triumphs in Tokyo Amid Injury Woes; Ruud Advances
World No. 1 takes a medical timeout during a tense fifth game against Baez
September 25, 2025
Yuichi Yamazaki/Getty Images
Carlos Alcaraz increases his dominance to 3-0 in the Lexus ATP Head2Head series against Sebastian Baez.
By Jerome Coombe
Carlos Alcaraz faced a nail-biting debut at the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo, overcoming both an injury scare and unexpected rain delays to defeat Sebastian Baez with a score of 6-4, 6-2 on Thursday night.
During the first set, the World No. 1 unexpectedly collapsed, clutching his left ankle and heel, which needed strapping. Compounding the drama, a rain delay interrupted the match just as he was gearing up to serve for the set. Even with these challenges, Alcaraz regained his composure to secure victory in straight sets, progressing to the next round of the ATP 500 tournament.
“I won’t lie, I was quite scared,” Alcaraz admitted. “When my foot landed, I felt a deep concern because it didn’t feel right at the onset. But I’m thrilled to have fought through and performed well to finish strong. I’ll focus on recovery to ensure I’m ready for my upcoming match.”
After dropping serve at 2-2 in the first set, Alcaraz stumbled while reaching for a forehand, causing evident discomfort before falling to the ground, anxiously glancing towards his team. While on the court, he received immediate care from the physio, who helped him before taping his ankle and heel during a medical timeout.
Despite initial hesitation, Alcaraz eventually returned to form, dominating the first set, which was interrupted by a 30-minute rain delay. With additional support from the strapping, he powered through the rest of the match.
“The first five minutes after the incident were tough,” Alcaraz shared. “I worried I wouldn’t muster the confidence to continue. Thankfully, I could walk to the bench, and that gave me the assurance to press on. I strive to embody a warrior spirit in every match.”
Next, he will face either Alejandro Tabilo, the recent Chengdu champion, or Zizou Bergs. As the top seed, Alcaraz aims to join 12 other members of the ATP No. 1 Club who have clinched victory in Tokyo. Currently, he boasts a remarkable 63 wins and seven titles in 2025, as per the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.
Meanwhile, Casper Ruud, Alcaraz’s projected semi-final opponent, managed to shake off a slow start to bounce back and defeat Japanese wild card Shintaro Mochizuki, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1. He remains determined in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin. Although currently in 13th place, Ruud insists that qualifying for the season finale isn’t on his radar just yet.
“Not at this moment. Usually, when we return to Europe, there are only a few tournaments left, and that’s when I start considering it,” Ruud expressed. “My aim is to finish the season strong, something I haven’t consistently achieved except at Turin, where I’ve had some solid results. Playing indoors has never been my strength.”
“It was a bit challenging to play today, coming all the way from San Francisco, but I’m very pleased to have pulled through.”
