Carlos Alcaraz said he shrugged over an ankle injury and beat Zizou Bergs in the second round of the Japan Open.
World No. 1, he was “feared” after awkward landing in Thursday’s first round victory against Sebastian Baez.
However, the 22-year-old Spaniard looked almost trouble-free when he defeated the seedless Belgian Bergs with a 6-4 6-3 victory, playing the quarterfinals against Brandon Nakashima in Tokyo.
“I can say, I can say,” said Alcaraz, who won the U.S. Open last month.
“I’m worried about having some movement on the court where I can feel the ankle, but overall, I think I played a great game.
“I said before, I’m going to say it again – I have 100% of the best physiology in the world that I trust and the work he does for his ankles, which I think is great.”
Elsewhere, world No. 2 Jannik Sinner won the quarterfinals 6-4 5-7 6-0 by 23-year-old French qualifier Terence Atmane in the Chinese Open.
The Italian lost to Alcalaz in the U.S. Open final but won the Australian Open and Wimbledon this season, leading twice after a second break.
Atmane reached the semifinals of the Cincinnati Masters in August, where he lost to the Sinners.
But after providing impetus to Beijing’s decision-makers, he began to fight cramps, allowing the sinner to easily cross the third set for the final eight games against Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan.
