■ Carlos Alcaraz (ESP), the world No.1 and top seed at this tournament, held a press conference ahead of his opening match.
Making his first-ever visit to Japan, Alcaraz expressed his excitement, saying:
“I've always wanted to come to Japan. With a tournament being held in Tokyo, I thought that was more than enough reason to come. I'm playing at a really good level right now, and I hope to be able to show that during the tournament. I'm really excited to be here.”

■ This year, Alcaraz has claimed two Grand Slam titles at the French Open and the US Open, as well as winning three ATP Masters 1000 events in Monte Carlo, Rome, and Cincinnati — bringing the total number of titles this season to a personal-best of seven.
Looking back on his performance so far, Alcaraz reflected:
“It's been a really great season for me so far. I've achieved some amazing results, and at the same time, I feel I've grown a lot as a player. I can honestly say I've had a year with nothing to complain about.”

■ In the first round of this tournament, Alcaraz will face Argentina's Sebastián Báez, currently ranked No. 41 in the world. Alcaraz holds a 2–0 head-to-head record against him.
He commented:
“I've played against him before, so I know he's a great player. I just arrived from San Francisco, where the Laver Cup was held, so I'm still dealing with a bit of jet lag. That's why I need to make sure I'm well-prepared and play my best right from the first match.”