Alcaraz survives upset-heavy first day of Japan Open with Fritz and Ruud beaten

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alcaraz-garfia-carlos/UkhgIFEq/"]Alcaraz[/a] saved three ‌set points before clinching a see-sawing opening set ‌with a strong display in the tiebreak but ‌continued to experiment with his new sped-up service motion and was broken twice early in the next ‌set.[/p][p]The 23-year-old Spaniard, who had shown ⁠glimpses of his ‌best form en route to the US Open quarter-finals last ​month after his long injury layoff, recovered to move ahead but a double ​fault in the seventh game handed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/michelsen-alex/nDIhfm9l/"]Michelsen[/a] a route back.[/p][image alt="Key stats" id="d3d1cdc6-9cfa-4651-8202-0638f826842a" credit-line="Flashscore" hidden-attrs="alt, credit" guid="d959a1cf-64dd-45fd-b87c-d913cb506082" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]Michelsen capitalised and kept his composure in ⁠a tense ​finish to the second set where a fortunate netcord winner left Alcaraz stranded at the baseline and helped the 22-year-old American force a decider.[/p][p]Alcaraz, who led Team Europe to a Laver Cup triumph over Team ​World on indoor courts in London last weekend, said the relentless rain in Tokyo limited his practice.[/p][p][b]"It was a different feeling. The ball ⁠comes bigger. The court ​performs a little bit slower than the indoor courts for sure, so it was freaky to adjust to that,"[/b] Alcaraz said.[/p][p][b]"It was a little bit frustrating, not being able to play my game, my style, and play ‌aggressive ... it was difficult but I'm really happy to accept and understand how I had to play and to get the win at the end.[/b][/p][p][b]"It was really important to have this feeling for the next round, to know what I have to do for the next matches."[/b][/p][p]A couple ‌of breathtaking points gave Alcaraz a 2-0 lead in the final set and the seven-time Grand Slam champion used the launch pad to close out a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/alcaraz-garfia-c-UkhgIFEq/michelsen-a-nDIhfm9l/?mid=8MQWcMCa"]comfortable victory[/a] on a day of big upsets in the ATP 500 tournament.[/p][embed guid="8e5cc166-77f0-416e-807d-3198c4409ea8" url="https://x.com/TennisTV/status/2105606543945130145" social-type="twitter" /][p]The top seed's win came after third seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fritz-taylor/UH09iaZ6/"]Taylor Fritz[/a] fell to qualifier [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/munar-jaume/zZieQm4D/"]Jaume Munar[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/fritz-t-UH09iaZ6/munar-j-zZieQm4D/?mid=rZXni0xH"]6-7 (7), ‌6-4, 6-3[/a], sixth seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ruud-casper/zN9UpRqp/"]Casper Ruud[/a] lost ​to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/darderi-luciano/jeXTxMIp/"]Luciano Darderi[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/darderi-l-jeXTxMIp/ruud-c-zN9UpRqp/?mid=rwrioqTg"]7-6 (3), 6-3[/a] and seventh seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/paul-tommy/pd3ye1BS/"]‌Tommy Paul[/a] suffered a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/paul-t-pd3ye1BS/tabilo-a-YgVnM5vO/?mid=jNyg54KP"]6-1, 6-2[/a] defeat by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tabilo-alejandro/YgVnM5vO/"]Alejandro Tabilo[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rune-holger/2kRS8swG/"]Holger Rune[/a], the former world number four who is stepping up his comeback from an Achilles injury, also crashed out ⁠following a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/jacquet-k-KGKot0sk/rune-h-2kRS8swG/?mid=bNcc1eJi"]6-3, ⁠6-1[/a] loss to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jacquet-kyrian/KGKot0sk/"]Kyrian ‌Jacquet[/a].[/p]