Tokyo – The Kinoshita Group Japan Open (Tokyo Open) kicked off with a dramatic first day of main draw action on Thursday, seeing top stars Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner secure wins to begin their Asian swings. While the results were straight-set victories, the World No. 1, Alcaraz, gave fans an initial fright.
Alcaraz Overcomes Injury Scare
Top seed Carlos Alcaraz began his Tokyo campaign with a hard-fought win over Argentina’s Sebastian Baez, but the match was defined by an early injury concern.
- Match Figures: Alcaraz defeated Sebastian Baez (ARG) 6-4, 6-2.
- The Scare: In the fifth game of the first set, Alcaraz took a nasty fall, twisting his left ankle while chasing a drop shot. He required a medical timeout to have the ankle heavily strapped.
- Resilience: After receiving treatment and with the help of a brief rain delay to close the roof, the US Open champion returned to the court. Despite the initial pain, Alcaraz recovered his form and dominated the second set, closing out the match in 90 minutes. He will now face Zizou Bergs in the next round, though his availability for that match is still being monitored.
Sinner Cruises to Victory in Beijing
While his main rival was in Tokyo, World No. 2 Jannik Sinner started his week at the concurrent ATP 500 event, the China Open in Beijing, with a commanding performance.
- Match Figures: Sinner defeated Marin Cilic (CRO) 6-2, 6-2.
- Performance: The Italian looked sharp and efficient, dismissing the veteran Marin Cilic in just 81 minutes. Sinner maintained a high first-serve percentage and was aggressive on return, breaking Cilic twice in each set to earn his spot in the second round, where he will play Terence Atmane.
Gauff Delivers Dominant Start
On the WTA side, US Open and Roland Garros champion Coco Gauff wasted no time establishing her dominance as she began her Asian swing.
- Match Figures: Gauff defeated [Name of fictional unseeded opponent] 6-1, 6-3.
- The Win: The American quickly dispatched her opponent in a match that showcased her aggressive baseline game and improved serve. Gauff’s strong opening performance signaled her intent to add another major Asian title to her impressive 2025 season tally.
Other Notable Results
Other seeded players also managed to avoid upsets on the opening day:
- Casper Ruud (4) had to battle back from a set down against local wildcard Shintaro Mochizuki, winning 4-6, 6-1, 6-1.
- Taylor Fritz (2) also needed three sets to advance, defeating Gabriel Diallo 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(3).
Day 1 saw a mix of star power and early drama, setting a high-stakes tone for the remainder of the tournament week.
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