“I think I take almost more pride in this one because I feel like, start to finish, I won it, I earned it,” a jubilant Taylor Fritz couldn’t contain his emotions after besting World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz during the Laver Cup last month. He snatched a win against the Spaniard for the first time after three straight losses. But Alcaraz, the humble Spanish matador, kept the rivalry on the court with a surprising gesture for Fritz.

For the uninitiated, Fritz was a former champion in Tokyo. In 2022, he won the title after besting compatriot Frances Tiafoe. It was painful for him to miss out on a second trophy after reaching the final. Despite getting routed by Alcaraz in straight sets, the 27-year-old took a moment to admire his overall campaign.

In an Instagram post, dated October 2, he wrote, “Thank you Tokyo & all the fans in Japan for an incredible week 🇯🇵🙏🏻” while also congratulating Alcaraz for winning “another title. Solid week for me here and happy to make another final. Until next time ✌🏻” Just hours after Fritz’s post, Alcaraz also took a moment to appreciate his opponent. While he beat him in the final, the Spaniard commended him for an impressive campaign in Tokyo. Showing a sweet gesture in comments, he simply wrote, “Great week Taylor! 🙏🏽”

However, it is not the first time Alcaraz has admired Fritz’s on-court prowess. He gave him full credit even when the Americans beat him at the Laver Cup in San Francisco. Despite losing in straight sets against Fritz, he had to confess, “I think he played some great tennis. I feel like he was more on the court than me.” In recent seasons, Fritz’s backhand tends to be more versatile, enabling him to play more down-the-line shots apart from his impressive forehand. Yes, there are improvements to his game.

The Spaniard added, “The first or second shot of the rally was really important, and he did it much better than I did. That was the key. In these (slow) conditions, the first shots are really important.” Speaking more of the six-time slam champion, his journey moving forward has been halted because of an unexpected setback. Although he emerged as the winner at the Japan Open, the victory came at a cost.

Carlos Alcaraz moves away from tennis post-Tokyo glory

Immediately after clinching the Japan Open title, Carlos Alcaraz revealed shocking news for his fans. Ahead of his expected appearance at the Shanghai Masters, the World No.1 suddenly withdrew his name. “I’m very disappointed to announce that I won’t be able to play the Rolex Shanghai Masters this year!” he wrote on his Instagram, as reported by the ATP Tour’s website on September 30.

Explaining the real reason behind his withdrawal, he added, “Unfortunately, I’ve been struggling with some physical issues, and, after discussing with my team, we believe the best decision is to rest and recover.” For the uninitiated, he sustained an ankle injury in the first-round match in Tokyo. Initially, he could handle it with his physio’s help and continued with the campaign.

But now it seems the pain must have aggravated beyond control. Hence, he wants to recover properly before stepping back on the court. “I was really looking forward to playing in front of the amazing fans in Shanghai again. I hope to be back soon and see my Chinese fans next year!”

The promising news is that Alcaraz is expected to be back in action sooner rather than later. He will probably play at the upcoming Six Kings Slam in Riyadh before going to Paris for the season’s last Masters event.