Carlos Alcaraz remains undefeated in Tokyo! Despite an injury scare in his opener against Sebastian Baez, the World No.1 has powered into the semifinals at the Japan Open after taking down America’s Brandon Nakashima. It hasn’t been a smooth ride. He came to Tokyo after losing alongside Team Europe at the Laver Cup, and facing his first defeat to Taylor Fritz at the event. But now? He’s showing he means business—no matter who the crowd is cheering for!

Alcaraz kept his streak alive on Sunday, blasting past Nakashima 6-2, 6-4 in just 80 minutes. He put aside any doubts from that earlier scare against Baez and played at his peak, firing 39 winners to lock in his 65th win of the season. His all-court game left Nakashima scrambling. Another efficient straight-sets win. Afterward, he laughed off a cheeky question about the sea of American flags in the stands: “How important was it to grab a Spanish win in the top half?”

Pure Carlos Alcaraz confidence: “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 American’s go further. It’s great to see a Spanish flag in the draw.”

It’s turning into a challenge for the remaining Americans. Fritz powered past Sebastian Korda. Brooksby destroyed Holger Rune earlier in the day. Now the two face off in the semifinals, guaranteeing an American in the final. Should Alcaraz get there, he looks more than ready for the showdown!

Although he might not have much trouble considering, the Spaniard has history on his side against both players. He owns a 1-0 record over Brooksby and leads Fritz 3-1, though their last clash went the American’s way. Fritz finally broke through just last week at the Laver Cup, stunning the Spaniard 6-3, 6-2 in the round robin.

On the other hand, Fritz has been vocal about coming for a bigger prize, though. Earlier in a chat with Olympics.com, he revealed his “main goal is to win a Grand Slam.” When asked about the pressure of the World No.1 and No.2, he said, “If it’s not going to be just Carlos and Sinner then yeah, there’s only right now a handful of people that you might be able to contest. And I’m working really hard to be one of them.” His determination is shining through as he makes it to the final four of the Japan Open.

Now, Alcaraz is through to the next round with little fuss, yet the World No.1 still didn’t look entirely comfortable out there. So what’s keeping him steady on his feet after that shaky start in his opener?

Following injury scare, Carlos Alcaraz lauds his physio!

On September 25, disaster struck in Alcaraz’s opening round at the ATP 500. Locked at 2-2 against Sebastian Baez, the World No.1 raced wide for a forehand, only to stumble hard on the baseline. He immediately clutched his left ankle and heel, sending a hush through the crowd as worry set in.

Fast forward, and the recovery has been nothing short of remarkable. After making it through his clash with Zizou Bergs, Carlos credited his miracle man, physiotherapist Juanjo Moreno, for the rapid turnaround.

“Well, it was tough day and a half, had to recover as best as possible. I said it before and I’ll say it again: I have the best physiotherapist in the world, in whom I trust one hundred percent. The work he has done on the ankle has been excellent,” Carlos Alcaraz declared after his match.

Now the Spaniard is back, sharper and hungrier, and set for a blockbuster semifinal against Norwegian fourth seed Casper Ruud. Holding a 4-1 head-to-head advantage, Alcaraz will be eyeing a spot in his tenth final of 2025. Can he keep the streak alive and push past Ruud once again? Let us hear your thoughts in the comments below!