Spanish tennis star and current World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz is known for his nimble movements on the tennis court. Even on the hardcourts, he and his peers figure out a way to slide and make great shots. However, Alcaraz had a scary moment in his first match at the 2025 Japan Open.
After scaling the court to retrieve balls, he appeared to pull up and then laid down on the ground. Some feared the worse, like an Achilles, but it seems to be a sprained ankle.
🚨 Alcaraz in serious discomfort
Doesnt look good. Achiles?pic.twitter.com/uBAU6HVsXQ
— Tennis Masterr (@tennismasterr) September 25, 2025
Alcaraz required a medical timeout and an extensive tape job before returning to play.
Alcaraz’s left foot heavily tapped. pic.twitter.com/mDsRBRPxid
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) September 25, 2025
Another complication was a rain delay which may have been beneficial to help him evaluate how he felt with the taped ankle.
In the end, Alcaraz won the match in straight sets in 1 1/2 hours, but it is unclear how he will feel as the tournament goees on.
Alcaraz.
“I was scared. I’m not gonna lie. I felt my ankle and didn’t feel great. I’m just happy to be able to play after that. I will try to be ready for the next match. It was unlucky”.
“In the first five minutes I thought I wouldn’t continue”. pic.twitter.com/OojZJDH0B4
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) September 25, 2025
Carlos Alcaraz Has Played A Lot Of Tennis In 2025
By virtue of being in the mix in the semifinals and finals at all of the 2025 Grand Slams, Alcaraz has played a lot of tennis this year.
He has won a mind boggling seven titles (including two Grand Slams) this year and posts a 61-6 win-loss record.
Alcaraz had no time to rest after participating with Team Europe in the Laver Cup in San Francisco this past weekend.
The good news is that he is young, at 22, the schedule is easier to manage and recover from.
However, the schedule remains a persistent concern for me and other tennis fans. We do not want to shorten the careers of these young stars with an 11-month grind that has very little downtime, rest, and recovery built in.
Watch the Japan Open continuing coverage on the Tennis Channel and the Tennis Channel app.
