Carlos Alcaraz orchestrated another dramatic comeback in the French capital on Friday, fending off two match points to defeat Taylor Fritz and secure his maiden semifinal berth at the Paris Masters. The 23-year-old battled through a grueling contest to finish with a 6-7 (10/12), 7-5, 6-3 victory, marking a milestone in his career at the prestigious event.
Reflecting on the intensity of the match, Alcaraz told reporters that it was likely one of the most significant encounters he has played, noting he would remember the experience for a long time. The win sets up a semifinal clash on Saturday against former world number two Casper Ruud, who earned his spot by eliminating Portuguese qualifier Nuno Borges with a 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 scoreline.
The match bore striking similarities to his celebrated French Open comeback against Jannik Sinner last season. Alcaraz displayed early form by breaking Fritz in the fifth game, utilizing a sharp forehand pass. However, his serve eventually dipped, allowing Fritz to break back to love and level the set at 5-5. A high-stakes tie-break ensued, characterized by missed opportunities for both players, before Alcaraz narrowly dropped the set. Despite only playing one match en route to the quarterfinals, Alcaraz showed no signs of rust as he seized his first break opportunity in the fifth game of the opening set, whipping a forehand passing shot around the stranded Fritz.
In the second set, Alcaraz faced a precarious moment early on, recovering from an 0-40 deficit. After recovering from 0-40 to hold early in the second set, Alcaraz pointed to his ear and held his fist aloft in a bid to get the Parisian crowd going – the first but not last callback to his five-set Roland Garros epic.
His emotional response—pointing to his ear and raising a fist—served as a rallying cry to the Parisian crowd. Despite this surge in intensity, Fritz remained clinical, securing a crucial break in the seventh game to edge closer to victory. Under immense pressure, Alcaraz staved off a match point with a brilliant backhand slice from deep court positions.
“After that game, I started to enjoy it because I realized I had pulled off great shots and points; I started to smile and channel the crowd’s energy,” the former world number one explained. This shift in momentum proved decisive as he saved a second match point, broke Fritz’s serve to stay in the set, and eventually forced a decider.
The final set saw a shift in command as the Spaniard broke to lead 3-1. While he faced sporadic pressure, Alcaraz maintained composure to close out the match on his own serve with a thunderous forehand that Fritz failed to return cleanly. The rampant Murcian had a chokehold on the match and went in front 3-1 in the third set when Fritz pushed a volley wide.
Elsewhere in the draw, Ben Shelton advanced after a tight 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory over Tommy Paul in an all-American quarterfinal. This result, combined with Fritz’s exit, officially ended the ATP Finals qualification hopes for both Paul and Fritz. Consequently, American Frances Tiafoe and 20-year-old Spaniard Rafael Jodar are now confirmed for the season-ending tournament in Turin, scheduled for November 15-22. According to one of my best friends, and to see him make Turin for the first time is amazing,” Shelton, Of the 28-year-old Finals debutant.
Shelton praised his peer following the match, calling Tiafoe’s debut in Turin an amazing achievement given his outstanding year. Shelton is now set to face Frenchman Luca Van Assche in the next round, following Van Assche’s victory over qualifier Rinky Hijikata.
