Alcaraz keeps No. 1 hopes alive after stunning Fritz comeback

Carlos Alcaraz has never ended a season looking so sharp – or so hungry – as he does now at the ATP Finals. Locked in a dual chase to lift the title for the first time and reclaim the No. 1 ranking, the Spaniard is throwing everything he has into this final stretch. That drive was on full display as he mounted a spectacular comeback against Taylor Fritz, turning around a match that had tilted against him. The American, who had beaten him indoors at last year’s Laver Cup, took the first set, but Alcaraz grew stronger as the match wore on, ultimately prevailing 6–7 (2), 7–5, 6–3 after two hours and 47 minutes of high-quality tennis.

Who will Carlos Alcaraz play in the ATP semifinals?

His place in the semifinals now depends on Alex de Miñaur defeating Lorenzo Musetti in the evening session at Turin’s Inalpi Arena. Otherwise, Alcaraz will need to beat Musetti in the final round-robin match to advance, rather than relying on the result of Fritz’s meeting with De Miñaur – a match where the Californian’s lack of killer instinct cost him dearly.

“I’m really happy. I managed to find my best tennis again,” said Alcaraz afterward. “There was a moment when I was very tired and didn’t know what to do. Taylor was serving and playing great, so I just tried to take advantage of the few chances I had. It was a high-level match physically, and I think people enjoyed it.”

Tactical precision and patience

The opening set was grueling from the start – the first two games alone lasted 19 minutes, each player carving out break opportunities. It became a battle of returns, and both men eventually traded breaks before Fritz edged the tiebreak, as Alcaraz’s serve faltered at the worst possible time. Frustrated after missing a first serve, the Spaniard muttered, “Go to hell,” under his breath – an emotional flash quickly extinguished as he regrouped.

The pattern continued into the second set, where both men held serve until Alcaraz endured a marathon 12-minute service game, saving two break points with bold hitting and erupting in a celebration worthy of a final. That resilience turned the tide: he began reading Fritz’s serve, produced a blistering return on a wide delivery that had troubled him, and converted one of three set points to level the match. Fritz, though tall and athletic, struggled when coming forward and made poor shot selections at key moments – errors that handed Alcaraz the momentum.

Closing with conviction

Now brimming with confidence, Alcaraz varied his play beautifully in the decider, mixing pace and spin to unbalance Fritz, who refused to fold but eventually cracked when the Spaniard ripped a crosscourt backhand to break for 4–2. From there, the two-time Grand Slam champion never looked back, sealing a victory that could prove pivotal – not only for his Turin campaign but also in his season-long duel with Jannik Sinner for the top spot.

With one more win, Alcaraz could end 2025 back where he began: as the best player in the world.

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