Overview

• Carlos Alcaraz defeated Sebastián Báez 6-4, 6-2 in his Tokyo ATP 500 opener.
• At 2-2 in the first set he twisted his left ankle, received on-court bandaging, and continued as the match later paused about 20–30 minutes for rain and roof closure.
• He is slated to face Zizou Bergs in the second round on Saturday after a rest day, with his camp monitoring recovery and no immediate scans planned.
• In Beijing, Jannik Sinner beat Marin Čilić 6-2, 6-2 and said he is implementing small tweaks following his US Open loss to Alcaraz.
• Both players target the Shanghai Masters next, making Alcaraz’s fitness and Sinner’s adjustments key storylines of the Asian swing.