Carlos Alcaraz Prepares for Japan Open
Carlos Alcaraz is gearing up for his first tournament in Asia this season, the prestigious Japan Open, set to take place in Tokyo. The world No. 1 has entered the ATP 500 event as the top seed, though he faces the challenge of starting directly in the first round against Sebastian Baez. At 22 years old, the Spanish tennis star is the favorite to seize the title; however, he will encounter stiff competition, particularly from second seed Taylor Fritz, who recently triumphed over him at the Laver Cup.
Alcaraz’s Aspirations
In a recent interview with ATP Media, Alcaraz expressed his eagerness for the tournament and detailed his aspirations for success.
“I’m excited about the prospect of lifting the trophy in Tokyo. Playing here for the first time adds to my motivation, and achieving this would be a great honor, especially joining the ranks of past legends of the event. I’ll give it my all this week to make that happen,”
he stated.
Potential Matchups
Should Alcaraz overcome Baez, he will advance to face the winner of the match between Zizou Bergs and Alejandro Tabillo, the latter of whom is coming off a victory in Chengdu after defeating Lorenzo Musetti.
Changing Paths
Unlike last season, where both Alcaraz and his rival Jannik Sinner competed in the China Open and met in a thrilling final, their paths are diverging this year. While Sinner is set to return to Beijing, Alcaraz has opted for a fresh location and set of fans in Tokyo. He clarified that this decision was not influenced by Sinner.
“I genuinely enjoy facing him on the court. He challenges me and pushes my abilities further, which I appreciate,”
Alcaraz remarked.
“But I wanted to experience a different city and stadium that I haven’t played in before, and that’s the core reason for my change in plans. I look forward to mixing things up a bit by competing with other players and at varied tournaments.”
