Carlos Alcaraz\u2019s Japan Open campaign looked to be hanging by a thread after a nasty ankle injury just five games into his campaign, but the Spaniard is now into the last eight \u2014 without dropping a set.<\/p>\n
World No 1 Alcaraz<\/a> overcame what appeared to be a significant ankle issue early in his opening-round match against Sebastian Baez on Thursday<\/a>, defeating the Argentine 6-4, 6-2, and returned to court with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Zizou Bergs on Saturday night.<\/p>\n It was not a vintage display from the six-time Grand Slam champion, who was not at his free-flowing best, but Alcaraz did enough to seal a fairly comprehensive victory that was all the more remarkable considering that many thought he would not return to court in Tokyo.<\/p>\n The 22-year-old had revealed he was \u201cworried\u201d about the injury after his match against Baez<\/a>, though a second consecutive straight-sets win at the ATP 500 event suggests his recovery is heading in the right direction.<\/p>\n And, speaking on court after his victory against world No 45 Bergs on Saturday, the Spaniard revealed that the \u201cbest physio in the world\u201d had helped power his return to court.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, it was tough,\u201d admitted Alcaraz.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a really important day and a half I had to recover as good as I can. I said it before and I\u2019m gonna say it again, I would say I have the best physio in the world, which I trust one hundred percent.<\/p>\n \u201cThe work he\u2019s done for the ankle has been great\u2026 sometimes I was worried about some movement on court where I could feel the ankle.<\/p>\n \u201cIn general, I think I played a great match, good performance from my side. I was thinking about the ankle a little bit but overall just really happy about my performance.\u201d<\/p>\n Tennis News<\/p>\n Lorenzo Musetti forced to apologise for \u2018damn Chinese\u2019 coughing jibe in Beijing<\/a><\/p>\n