Carlos Alcaraz defeats Taylor Fritz in thriller Nitto ATP Finals clash to stay unbeaten

Carlos Alcaraz defeated Taylor Fritz in a thrilling battle at the Nitto ATP Finals on Tuesday. The world No. 1 Spaniard fought back to win 6-7(2), 7-5, 6-3, keeping his perfect record intact in the Jimmy Connors Group.

What happened in the Turin clash?

The match, lasting nearly three hours, unfolded before a full house at Inalpi Arena in Turin. Alcaraz, seeded first, dropped the opening set after losing a break advantage. Fritz dominated early with strong baseline play, but Alcaraz made a strong comeback.

“It was pretty tight, I was struggling more than him in the first set,” said Alcaraz, who let slip a break lead in the opener. “I wasn’t serving well, and I think he was pretty comfortable from the baseline, from everywhere."

Despite the rocky start, Alcaraz improved in the second set. He saved crucial break points and capitalized on opportunities. A key moment came in a 14-minute service game at 2-2, where he escaped trouble with clever net play.

Key moments and momentum shift

Carlos Alcaraz's resilience peaked during that marathon hold. Facing break point, he turned defense into attack, charging the net for a volley winner. This ignited his comeback.

In the second set's final game, luck favoured Alcaraz. His backhand return clipped the net at 0/15, unsettling Fritz. Alcaraz seized the chance, converting his second set point to level the match.

The third set saw Alcaraz dominate. He broke Fritz early and closed out the victory, improving his head-to-head record to 5-1.

“I was really relieved after the win because of everything I went through during the match. I wasn’t feeling the ball as well as I was in the first round, but I’m really happy that I found a way to come back and find weakness from him.”

Path to Semis and Year-End No. 1

With this win, Carlos Alcaraz stands at 2-0 in group play. He can secure a semi-final spot if Alex de Minaur beats Lorenzo Musetti later Tuesday. Alcaraz also narrowed the gap to Jannik Sinner for ATP Year-End No. 1, needing just 50 more points.

“I will try not to think about it,” Alcaraz said with a smile when he told he needs one more win in Turin to secure Year-End No. 1. “It’s going to be a really big match for me. I will try not to let the nerves play a bad time in the match. I will think about my goals, about feeling much better than today.”