So close, but yet so far.
Taylor Fritz had two match points to earn what would have been a stunning upset over Carlos Alcaraz on Friday night in Paris – and a ticket to the ATP Finals in Turin – but the American was ultimately denied as the seven-time Grand Slam champion engineered a rousing escape to emerge with a thrilling 6-7(10), 7-5, 6-3 victory in the City of Light.
For Alcaraz, the victory marks his first trip to the semifinals at the Paris Masters. He improves to 40-5 on the season and stretches his current winning streak to seven consecutive victories.
“I tried not to let myself down, you know, in those difficult moments that I had in the second set,” Alcaraz said. “I tried to stay strong mentally.”
Fritz’s loss marks the second consecutive time that he has lost to Alcaraz from match point up. It also happened in London at Laver Cup in September, with the Spaniard pulling off a 6-3, 4-6, 13-11 win in a match tiebreak.
Carlos Alcaraz – Career Wins After Saving Match Point
| Tournament | Round | Opponent | Match Points Saved |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Paris | Quarterfinal | Taylor Fritz | 2 |
| 2026 Laver Cup | Round Robin | Taylor Fritz | 2 |
| 2025 Roland Garros | Final | Jannik Sinner | 3 |
| 2023 Cincinnati | Semifinal | Hubert Hurkacz | 1 |
| 2022 US Open | Quarterfinal | Jannik Sinner | 1 |
| 2022 Roland Garros | Round 2 | Albert Ramos-Vinolas | 1 |
| 2022 Barcelona | Semifinal | Alex de Minaur | 2 |
| Total: 7 wins | 12 |
The 23-year-old Alcaraz improves to 7-1 lifetime against Fritz and advances to face either Casper Ruud or Nuno Borges in Saturday’s semifinals.
Earlier on Friday, Luca Van Assche and Ben Shelton set up a semifinal clash in the top half, with Shelton’s 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win over Tommy Paul sending Frances Tiafoe into the ATP Finals field for the first time.
Fritz would have made it three Americans in the same ATP Finals field for the first time in 30 years, but Rafael Jodar nabs the eighth and final spot instead, thanks to his compatriot’s heroics.
Fritz, who saved three set points to win a riveting opening set, was in the driver’s seat in set two after notching a break of serve for 4-3. He then saved a break point to hold for 5-3, but Alcaraz was far from done.
Alcaraz, meanwhile, delivered his trademark showstopping tennis late in the second set. He wasn’t at his best throughout the encounter, and was particularly out of sorts at the end of the first, but his elevated level of tennis late in the second proved to be the catalyst for a steady march to victory.
The Spaniard saved a match point on serve at 5-3, ripping a forehand winner past a wrong-footed Fritz, then saved another with Fritz serving at 5-4.
“I would say, at 5-3, serving… I think that game, we played incredible tennis, both of us. Great, great points. I think that fueled the people to stand up, to bring the energy into the match.”
With the Paris faithful now at full throat, Alcaraz gave them what they wanted – a third set – by breaking again, converting his third set point for 7-5 to force a decider.
The third set went swiftly, with Alcaraz now riding the momentum and Fritz unable to match him.
“I used the people. I used the energy,” Alcaraz said. “I would say I gave them what they really wanted to watch today, and I’m just really happy that [we] could play for one hour and a half more, for them, to entertain them a little bit.
“It was an incredible night. The feeling that I got today is, I would say, unmatched.
“I am just happy to give myself another chance to step on the court tomorrow. I saved every chance he got to win the match, and I kept fighting.”
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