Alcaraz suffers ankle scare, Zheng Qinwen’s debut opponent emerges, Zhu Lin jokes about not retiring after her win

At the Tokyo Open, the top seed and world number one Alcaraz encountered an ankle scare during today’s match, which made many fans hold their breath.

In the fifth game of the first set against Argentina’s Baez, after moving extensively to retrieve a shot, Alcaraz suddenly collapsed holding his left foot. The camera showed a pained expression on Alcaraz’s face, indicating a significant injury. The tournament doctor then came onto the court to bandage his ankle, and the match was temporarily paused for medical treatment.

Replays revealed that Alcaraz’s ankle gave way suddenly while running, causing him to be unable to continue immediately and grimacing in pain while clutching his left ankle. More alarming was that although slow-motion replays showed no obvious sprain, many fans feared a possible Achilles tendon rupture. Fortunately, after a brief medical assessment and treatment, Alcaraz wrapped his ankle and continued playing.

Despite the frightening moment, top seed Alcaraz eventually defeated Baez 6-4, 6-2 to advance to the second round. Next, he will face the winner between Borges and Tabillo.

“I also had moments of fear, I won’t lie. When I twisted my ankle, I was very worried because at first it didn’t feel right. I’m glad I could keep playing, perform well, and finish the match in pretty good shape,” Alcaraz recalled his injury moment with lingering unease after the match.

Regarding the upcoming matches, Alcaraz said, “It’s really just bad luck, that’s what I’d say. I think the next day and a half might be tough for me, so I’ll do my best to recover, do what’s necessary, and be ready for the next round to compete at a sufficient level.”

Alcaraz barely rested after the US Open, with commercial events and the Laver Cup following. This sudden injury is hoped to be minor, especially since everyone wants him to participate smoothly in Shanghai.

Back to the China Open, on the second day of the main draw, Chinese player Wang Yafan withdrew due to a lower back injury, causing the anticipated “Chinese women’s showdown” in the second round against China’s top player Zheng Qinwen to be canceled. With Wang’s withdrawal, her spot was replaced by lucky loser Arango, who will face Lamens in the first round. The winner of that match will meet Zheng Qinwen in the second round.

In afternoon news, lucky loser Arango defeated Lamens 6-3, 6-3 to set up a rematch with Zheng Qinwen after their encounter at this year’s French Open. In their head-to-head, Zheng currently leads 2-0, including a 6-2, 6-3 victory in the second round of the French Open this year.

However, considering that China’s top player Zheng Qinwen has not competed for a long time since her early upset at Wimbledon this year, her fitness and injury recovery remain uncertain. Will she advance smoothly? See you on the night of September 27!

Finally, on the second day of the China Open women’s singles first round, wildcard Zhu Lin brought good news by comfortably defeating qualifier Uejima Honoka 6-1, 6-3. This marks her first China Open win in 11 years. She will face fourth seed Andreyeva in the second round.

After the match, Zhu Lin shared that she once considered retiring after Wimbledon but joked that now with a win, she can participate in next year’s Australian Open, so retirement is not on her mind for the moment.

It is known that Zhu Lin previously stated in interviews that she would stop playing if her ranking dropped below Grand Slam qualifying level. After Wimbledon this year, her ranking nearly fell to 500. Fortunately, her strong performance at this year’s Rogers Cup helped her ranking rise steadily, which dispelled her thoughts of retiring.

“Just finished (this match), and it feels like I’m almost ready for the Australian Open. I even said: ‘Ah, I don’t have to think about retiring for now, at least I need to keep working at the start of next year.’ How to put it? I’m happy now, and I don’t see this as something I must accomplish, just playing and somehow extending my career to see how far I can go until time catches up with me.”

Zhu Lin’s optimism moves us; after enduring injuries, her positive and open attitude shines through. At this year’s China Open, her story continues. Will a miracle happen in her match against Andreyeva? Let’s wait and see!(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Lu Xiaotian)