Fresh off his sixth Grand Slam title at the US Open, where he defeated Jannik Sinner in the final, Carlos Alcaraz entered the Japan Open as the top seed and clear favorite. But his opening-round match in Tokyo came with a scare that left fans and his camp momentarily holding their breath.

The World No. 1 secured a 6-4, 6-2 win over Argentina’s Sebastian Baez, but the victory wasn’t without drama. Early in the first set, with the score tied at 2-2, Baez hit a delicate dropshot that forced Alcaraz into a quick sprint. As the Spaniard lunged for the ball, he felt sharp pain in his foot and collapsed to the court.

The crowd inside Ariake Coliseum fell silent as Alcaraz grimaced in pain and remained on the ground. After receiving medical attention from the physio on the sidelines, he was able

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