Tokyo | Alcaraz survives injuries anxiety

Carlos Alcaraz, who played his first tour game since he won the US Open, survived a fear in the fourth game of his opening round in the Tokyo Open, an ATP Tour Tournament on 500 level, which he shook to storm through the round two by beating Sebastian Baez 6-4 6-2.

When I planted the ankle, I was worried because it didn’t feel good in the beginning. I’m just happy that I could play tennis well afterwards Carlos Alcaraz

In the evening the recently installed world no. 1 plays on the floor and only grabbed his left that had to hold before he could continue and when he performed to serve for the first set, the game was hung by the arrival for which the roof had to be closed.

Half an hour later the Spaniard returned, undoubtedly assured that his ankle would not be damaged further by going, but to ensure that he was not held for too long, he overwhelmed his Argentinian opponent in the second set to relieve in the next round.

(Photo by Koji Watanabe/Getty images)

“I was scared too, I’m not going to lie,” said Alcaraz when it was noted that everyone was afraid when he fell. “When I planted the ankle, I was worried, because it didn’t feel right in the beginning. I am just glad that I could play tennis well afterwards and finish the game pretty well. I will try to restore what is needed to be ready for the next round.

‘I couldn’t do anything during the first five minutes [after] I did it, “Alcaraz continued.” I was afraid that I would not have the confidence to end the game, but the physio came and did some tests. It was good that I could walk to the bank and that gave me confidence [to continue]. I try to have a warrior mentality in every competition, in every aspect of everything. “

All well, the Spaniard will be confronted with Zizou Bergs in the next round after the Belgian Alejandro has driven out Tabilo, who became the Chengdu champion last weekend as qualification.

Bergs recovered from a slow start to go through 1-6 7-6 (2) 7-6 (4) for an opportunity to test themselves against the best seed.

Casper Ruud recovered well

(Photo by Koji Watanabe/Getty images)

The fourth placed Casper Ruud is expected to meet Alcaraz in the quarterfinals and, like the Spaniard, will try to erase the memory of Europe’s Laver Cup defeat in San Francisco in San Francisco last week and was asked if the ATP Tour -Final was being taken in Turin.

“Not yet. Typical when we come back to Europe, there are only three or four more tournaments, so that is when you think about it,” replied Ruud, who then plays Matteo Berrettini.
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“My goal is to have a good end to the season, and I didn’t really have that in the past, except Turin, [where] I have had some good results. There is not my strength indoors.

“Let’s look … It was a bit difficult to play today, far from San Francisco, but I am very happy that I could overcome it.”

Taylor Fritz leads a number of Americans to the second round

(Photo by Koji Watanabe/Getty images)

Earlier in the day, Taylor Fritz, the Hero van San Francisco, was pushed hard by Gabriel Diallo, but in the end the prevention had 4-6 6-3 7-6 (3), second sown for the tournament, the American had to dig deep during the two-hour opener of 9 minutes to get past the large Serve Canadese.

With his victory, Fritz also strengthened his offer to qualify for the ATP final in Turin for the second consecutive year. He is currently sixth in the race to Turin, after he had reached the title match during last year’s season finale before he fell to Jannik Sinner.

“The biggest thing for me today was the energy, it is really difficult to match last week’s energy with Andre [Agassi] And the team that drives crazy on the bank, “said Fritz of Laver Cup’s Team World’s Performance.” I really just had to find it and get it going. It was really a difficult match to play. “

The American, who conquered the Tokyo title in 2022, is confronted with a second round collision with Portugal’s Nuno Borges, who defeated the Japanese Wildcard Yosuka Watanuki.

Fritz was accompanied in the second round by a number of fellow Americans, including Sebastian Korda, who defeated Countryman Marcos Giron 4-6 6-6 6-3 7-6 (4) and Jenson Brooksby who made the sixth seed of the region and last year’s finalist, 4).

Korda made a meeting with the Japanese qualifying match Sho Shimabukuro, which surprised the fifth seed from the Czech Republic, Tomas Machac 6-3 7-6 (4) in his first match at the tour level of the season, while Brooksby Luciano Dardieri next after the Italian Hope Yoshihito.

Brandon Nkashima and qualifying Ethan Quinn also belonged to the American winners, the former rally that was past Australia’s Jordan Thompson 6-7 (6) 7-6 (4) 6-2, while the last Countryman Alex Michelsen made up 7-5 6-2.

Much earlier, however, Frances Tiafoe and Denis Shapovalov suffer surprising defeats.

Tiafoe, ZaaiD 8, went to the Hungarian qualifying match Marton Fucsovics who fought hard from the basic line to secure a 3-6 6-1 7-5 Victory Shapovalov, the 7th Seed, fell in Germany’s Daniel Altmaier 7-5 6-3 in his first game since his marriage with Mirjamam Bjornk.