Alcaraz Pushes Through Ankle Worry to Beat Baez in Japan Open Debut

First‑set stumble and the ankle check

On Thursday night in Tokyo, Carlos Alcaraz slipped on his first service game, hitting the court hard and clutching his left ankle. The fall was obvious – he rubbed his eyes, grimaced and bounced lightly on the injured foot while the crowd watched. He told reporters, "When I planted the ankle, I was worried, because it didn't feel good at the beginning."

Alcaraz's physio rushed over, performed a quick tap test and wrapped the ankle with a supportive strap. The quick assessment gave the young champion enough confidence to stay on his feet, and he was even able to walk back to the bench. That little moment of reassurance seemed to revive his fighting spirit.

Warrior mentality fuels a straight‑sets victory

After the medical pause, Alcaraz came back focused. He timed his groundstrokes, moved his feet deliberately, and kept the pressure on Argentine opponent Sebastian Baez. The Spaniard's serve was crisp, his forehand stayed deep, and he broke Baez twice to seal the first set 6‑4.

The second set showed an even higher level of control. Alcaraz raced around the court, hit a mix of heavy topspin and sharp angles, and never let Baez settle into a rhythm. He closed the match 6‑2, saying afterward that the physio check gave him the confidence to finish "quite good".

When asked about the scare, Alcaraz admitted he was "scared" and worried about his confidence. "I was worried that I wouldn't have the confidence to finish the match, but the physio came and did some tests," he said. "It was good I could walk to the bench and that gave me confidence." He added that the experience reinforced his "warrior mentality" – a mindset he tries to bring to every point, every match, and every practice.

Looking ahead, the 23‑year‑old will try to recover enough for the third round, where a tougher opponent awaits. He promised to focus on stretching, icing and light workout to keep the ankle stable. The win also adds another headline to his already impressive 2025 season, keeping his world No. 1 ranking intact.