Is Carlos Alcaraz ‘100%’ fit for Six Kings Slam after injury? Spaniard makes honest confession

Ewan West 15 Oct 2025 8:20 PM

Carlos Alcaraz looks on during a match.

Carlos Alcaraz has provided an update on his fitness ahead of the Six Kings Slam after he withdrew from the Shanghai Masters due to injury.

The six-time Grand Slam champion pulled out of the ATP 1000 tournament in Shanghai hours after beating Taylor Fritz in the final of the Japan Open last month.

Alcaraz sustained an ankle injury early in his opening match at the ATP 500 in Tokyo, but he still managed to win five matches to triumph on his debut at the event.

The world No 1 will play world No 4 Fritz at the Six Kings Slam exhibition on Thursday in his first match since the pair met in the Japan Open final.

Fritz downed Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-4 in Riyadh on Wednesday, while Alcaraz received a bye to the semi-finals.

Nine days prior to Alcaraz’s 6-4, 6-4 triumph over Fritz in Tokyo, he lost 3-6, 2-6 to the American at the Laver Cup in San Francisco.

More Tennis News

Carlos Alcaraz asserts exhibition critics ‘don’t understand’ ahead of Six Kings Slam

Every injury Novak Djokovic has suffered since start of 2024 revealed after Shanghai struggles

Alcaraz spoke candidly about his physical condition before his opener at the Saudi Arabian exhibition.

“I don’t feel, I would say, 100 per cent, the doubts are there thinking about it a little bit when I’m moving on court,” said the 22-year-old Spaniard.

“But I think it improved a lot and I’m going to compete and perform well here in the Six Kings Slam.”

Alcaraz hailed his long-time physiotherapist Juanjo Moreno for the work he did in Tokyo after his second round victory at the event.

“I have said it before and I will say it again, I have the best physio in the world, who I trust 100%. The work he has done for the ankle has been great. I could play normally, which is great,” Alcaraz said.

In an interview with Tennis365, leading injury prevention expert Stephen Smith spoke about the key role physios play in elite sport.

“For somebody in an individual sport to have one-to-one care like that is quite challenging to actually do, so a lot of players don’t get access to that. But the importance of that is huge,” Smith said.

“These people have to understand their body is their business, so being able to spend that necessary time, doing soft tissue work, getting rid of inflammatory by-products or any of the negative by-products of exercise and activity is crucially important for them.

“Especially when we’re talking about a calendar that is congested as it is.