(Photo credit score: David Gonzales-Imagn Images)
World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz weathered a rain delay and an harm scare to defeat Argentina’s Sebastian Baez 6-4, 6-2 within the first spherical of the Japan Open on Thursday in Tokyo.
The top-seeded Spaniard stumbled to the court docket within the first set, clutching his left leg. After having his heel and ankle taped throughout a medical timeout, he powered via to the second spherical. Up subsequent is Belgium’s Zizou Bergs, who rallied to beat Chengdu champion Alejandro Tabilo of Chile 1-6, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (4).
No. 2 seed Taylor Fritz got here from behind for a 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3) win over Canadian Gabriel Diallo. No. 3 Holger Rune of Denmark defeated Serbia’s Hamad Medjedovic 7-6 (7), 6-1. No. 4 Casper Ruud of Norway rallied to beat Japan’s Shintaro Mochizuki 4-6, 6-1, 6-1. Two seeded gamers fell, with Japanese qualifier Sho Shimabukuro ousting No. 5 Czech Tomas Machac 6-3, 7-6 (4) and Jenson Brooksby taking down No. 6 Ugo Humbert of France 7-6 (4), 6-3.
China Open
Top-seeded Jannik Sinner of Italy swept previous two-time Beijing finalist Marin Cilic of Croatia 6-2, 6-2 in 82 minutes to advance to the second spherical.
The 2023 champion right here, Sinner saved the one break level he confronted and seemed sharp in his first look since his U.S. Open last loss to Carlos Alcaraz. Up subsequent is Frenchman Terence Atmane, a 6-4, 6-2 winner towards Chinese wild card Zhizhen Zhang.
Atmane’s countryman, Alexandre Muller, notched a 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4 upset of fifth-seeded Russian Karen Khachanov. In different first-round motion, Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina crushed Argentina’s Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6-1, 6-3 and Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan eradicated France’s Benjamin Bonzi 7-6 (1), 6-3.
–Field Level Media