Sat Sep 27 06:50:00 UTC 2025: ## Alcaraz Battles Through Ankle Injury and Coaching Conflict to Advance in Japan Open
**Tokyo, Japan** – Top seed Carlos Alcaraz overcame a worrying ankle injury and visible tension with his coaching box to defeat Sebastian Baez in the first round of the Japan Open on Thursday. The Spaniard secured a 6-4, 6-2 victory despite twisting his ankle early in the first set, forcing a medical timeout and heavy strapping.
The incident occurred with the score tied at 2-2 in the first set. After treatment, Alcaraz bravely continued, breaking Baez to take a 5-4 lead. However, the incident appeared to fuel disagreement within his camp, with Alcaraz seen engaged in a heated discussion with his coaching team during a subsequent rain delay.
“I was scared too, I’m not going to lie,” Alcaraz admitted after the match. “When I landed on the ankle, I was worried to be honest because it didn’t feel good at the beginning.”
Despite the injury and apparent friction, Alcaraz showed resilience, dominating the remainder of the match after the rain delay. He closed out the first set 6-4 and cruised through the second set 6-2, securing his place in the second round.
“It was unlucky. I would have felt a little bit guilty if I couldn’t continue and play some tennis for the fans so I just tried to have a good mindset and give everything that I have,” he stated.
Alcaraz is scheduled to face either Zizou Bergs of Belgium or Alejandro Tabilo of Chile in the next round. However, concerns remain about the severity of his ankle injury, and he is expected to undergo scans.
The victory improves Alcaraz’s season record to 63-7, having now won 48 of his last 51 matches. The world No. 2 is looking to build upon his recent US Open triumph, his sixth grand slam. He recently participated in the Laver Cup in San Francisco before heading to Japan for the Open.
Alcaraz and his team will now focus on recovery and assessing the extent of the injury to determine his readiness for the upcoming match.
First Piper 