Following the conclusion of the Laver Cup in London, Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Jódar will travel to Asia to compete in the upcoming ATP 500 tournament in Tokyo, scheduled from September 30 to October 6. Alcaraz enters the hard-court event as the defending champion, facing a strong player field that includes Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, Lorenzo Musetti, Brandon Nakashima, Jiri Lehecka, Casper Ruud, and Tommy Paul, alongside fellow Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and a planned return by Denmark’s Holger Rune.
The Tokyo ATP 500 Field and Concurrent Tournaments in Beijing
The Tokyo tournament runs concurrently with the China Open in Beijing, where the 2025 winner, Jannik Sinner, will not defend his crown. Sinner announced his withdrawal on social media due to a right knee injury that has sidelined him since Wimbledon. Italian sports media have raised concerns that the world number one might require surgery and miss the remainder of the season, a scenario that could allow Alexander Zverev to overtake him at the top of the ATP rankings.
Davis Cup Final 8 Ambitions and Doubles Pairings
Beyond the individual ATP tour stops, Alcaraz turned his attention toward national team competition, reiterating that the Davis Cup Final 8 in Bologna, scheduled from November 24 to 29, remains a vital goal. “Every year is different and we don’t know what is going to happen,” Alcaraz said in London, as reported by EFE. “For example, this year has been like this, but there comes a time when you have to choose either the Davis Cup or coming here to the Laver, because the two things are difficult to combine if you have a long participation at the US Open. But it depends. We’ll see what the future holds; the future will decide. We have a great team, with Rafa and with Marcel Granollers, especially in doubles, and I think we have options to win this year. I’m not going to lie, for me it is a objective.”
Rafael Jódar’s Perspective on Team Selection
Rafael Jódar welcomed the prospect of joining the senior national squad for the November event. “If Carlos also comes… it’s an extra motivation,” Jódar said in statements gathered by EFE. “It’s going to be the last tournament of this first year. It’s going to be a very special tournament if the captain trusts me and calls me to go to Bologna. I will be available. If Carlos also comes… We have a great team. We have a great relationship. It’s a goal that if we set our minds to it, we can achieve it.” Jódar also praised his compatriot’s demeanor during their time together in London: “Yes, Carlos is a great person. Off the court he is very approachable and very friendly, very easy to talk to. I’ve felt very good with him this week and if we are together in the Davis it would be fantastic.”
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