Carlos Alcaraz dropped a bombshell shortly after winning the Japan Open, as he announced his withdrawal from the Shanghai Masters. The Spaniard’s decision comes after his recent injury scare in Tokyo.
Carlos Alcaraz’s Shock Shanghai Withdrawal
Alcaraz won his eighth title of the season at the Japan Open in Tokyo after defeating second seed Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-4 in the final. Shortly after the win, the 22-year-old took to Instagram and announced that he would not be able to compete at the Shanghai Masters.
“I’m very disappointed to announce that I won’t be able to play the Rolex Shanghai Masters this year! I’ve been struggling with some physical issues and, after discussing with my team, we believe that the best decision is to rest and recover. I was really looking forward to play in front of the amazing fans in Shanghai again. I hope to be back soon and see my Chinese fans next year,” the Spaniard wrote on his Instagram stories.
Alcaraz suffered an ankle injury during his opening match at the Japan Open against Sebastián Báez. The Spaniard then took to the practice courts on the day of his second-round match against Zizou Bergs with some strapping on his ankle.
However, he continued to play some impressive tennis in Tokyo and managed to win the title. The only time Alcaraz had to dig deep during the ATP 500 event was during his semifinal against Casper Ruud, where the Norwegian won the opening set before the Spaniard made his comeback.
The 22-year-old’s victory in Tokyo means that he now has 66 wins out of 72 matches so far in the 2025 season, having won two Grand Slams and three Masters 1000 titles, among other tournaments. Alcaraz not competing at the Shanghai Masters means that he will not be able to defend his quarterfinal points from last season.
Alcaraz’s Next Scheduled Tournament
The Spaniard is set for a substantial break from tennis as his next scheduled tournament is the Paris Masters, which is set to begin during the tail end of October. Alcaraz does not have the best of records in the indoor tournament, having won only five out of nine matches so far.
His best performance at the Masters 1000 event till date is reaching the quarterfinals in 2022. Last year, the 22-year-old booked his place in the third round after beating Nicolas Jarry 7-5, 6-1 Here, he lost 1-6, 6-3, 5-7 to eventual runner-up Ugo Humbert.
