World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the semifinals of the Japan Open in Tokyo with a commanding 6-2, 6-4 victory over American Brandon Nakashima. In a post-match interview, the Spaniard shared his thoughts on the significance of his win and the presence of American players in the tournament.
How Did Carlos Alcaraz Overcome His Injury Scare To Reach the Tokyo Semifinals?
Alcaraz, making his first-ever appearance at the Japan Open, faced a scare against Argentina’s Sebastián Báez in the opening round. Early in the first set, he twisted his left ankle while attempting a forehand and collapsed to the court in visible pain.
On-court medical staff quickly attended to him, wrapping his ankle and foot during a brief timeout. Despite the injury, Alcaraz returned with heavy strapping and claimed a 6-4, 6-2 victory.
Building on that early success, Alcaraz’s performance only strengthened. In the second round, he faced Belgium’s Zizou Bergs and won convincingly, 6-4, 6-3, in just 79 minutes. Alcaraz credited his physiotherapist for helping him recover quickly from the ankle twist. His momentum continued in the quarterfinals, where he defeated Nakashima, booking a semifinal spot.
Nine straight events, nine straight semi-finals 👨🍳
The World No. 1 defeats Nakashima 6-2 6-4 to equal 2023 personal best 65 wins in a season!@carlosalcaraz #kinoshitajotennis pic.twitter.com/SennFfWvHG
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) September 28, 2025
Following the match, Alcaraz spoke about the significance of keeping a Spanish presence in the top half of the draw, especially with many Americans advancing in the bottom half.
“It’s great to go through, to play another semifinal. It’s special, because it’s the first time I’m playing in Japan, here in Tokyo. To reach the semifinals in my first appearance is something great. I’m just trying not to let the Americans go further. It’s great to see a Spanish flag in the draw,” he said on an on-court interview.
Alcaraz after beating Nakashima to reach Tokyo semifinals:
“A lot of red, white and blue American flags in the bottom half of the draw. How important was it to get a Spanish win in the top half?”
Carlos: “It’s great to go through, to play another semifinal. It’s special,… pic.twitter.com/bvaycDEjvn
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 28, 2025
What’s Next for Alcaraz at the Japan Open?
Looking ahead, Alcaraz will face fourth seed Casper Ruud in the semifinals. This will be their sixth meeting on the ATP Tour, with the Spaniard holding a dominant 4-1 record in their head-to-head record. Their rivalry began in the 2021 Marbella quarterfinal, where Alcaraz won in straight sets on clay.
In 2022, the Spaniard claimed two big victories over Ruud, first at the Miami Open final and then in the US Open final, where he captured his maiden Grand Slam and became the youngest men’s World No. 1. Alcaraz extended his lead with a quarterfinal win in Beijing 2023. Ruud finally broke through at the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals, defeating the Spaniard 6-1, 7-5 on indoor hard courts for his first victory over him.
The victor of this clash will meet an American in the final. The opponent will be either Jenson Brooksby or the second seed and 2022 titleholder, Taylor Fritz.
MORE: Carlos Alcaraz Takes Major Call Amid Injury Scare in Tokyo
