Carlos Alcaraz is feeling pretty confident as he gets ready for his Asian tour. The world No. 1 is heading to Tokyo for the 2025 Japan Open, and he’s not hiding his excitement about potentially winning the title.
This’ll be Alcaraz’s first tournament in Asia this year. The Japan Open is an ATP 500 event, and as the top-ranked player, he’s obviously the No. 1 seed.
But here’s the thing – there are no byes in Tokyo. That means even the world’s best player has to start from the first round, facing off against Sebastian Baez right away.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlos Alcaraz | 22 | 68,791 | 25 - 5 |
The 22-year-old Spaniard is naturally the biggest favorite to take home the trophy. But the competition’s going to be tough. Taylor Fritz, who actually beat Alcaraz at the Laver Cup, is seeded second. If things go according to ranking, these two could meet in the final.
Alcaraz seems pretty pumped about his chances though.
When ATP Media asked him about possibly winning in Tokyo, the young star didn’t hold back his confidence.
"It’s going to be great. I’m looking forward to doing it, lifting the trophy here in Tokyo. It’s the first time I will play here, so it would be great if I could win the title. I will try to do it, I will work hard to be able to do it. And putting my name next to the legends who won this tournament before, so it’s going to be an interesting week."
If he gets past Baez in round one, Alcaraz will face either Zizou Bergs or Alejando Tabillo. Tabillo’s coming off a nice win in Chengdu, where he beat Lorenzo Musetti in the final.
Why Alcaraz chose Tokyo over Beijing
Here’s something interesting – unlike last year, Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are starting their Asian tours at different tournaments.
Last year, both players competed at the China Open in Beijing. They even met in what turned out to be an epic final. This time around, Sinner’s heading back to Beijing while Alcaraz chose Tokyo instead.
You might think Alcaraz is trying to avoid his biggest rival. But that’s not the case at all.
"It’s not a relief to be honest. I love playing against him. I think every time that we play against each other, he helps me to be better and to increase my level, which I love that."
The real reason is much simpler. Alcaraz wanted to experience something new.
"But I wanted to play in a different place, in a different stadium, in which I have never played. So, for me, that’s a reason why I decided to make a change. But, it’s great playing with other players as well and mix the tournaments a little bit."
It makes sense when you think about it. As the world No. 1, Alcaraz could pretty much play anywhere he wants. Why not explore new cities and meet fans who might not have seen him play before?
The decision shows Alcaraz’s mindset – he’s not running from tough competition. He’s just looking to broaden his experiences while staying at the top of his game.
